China denies wrongdoing after 'dangerously' intercepting Australia and Canada's planes

China has denied any wrongdoing after ‘buzzing’ Australian and Canadian planes over the South & East China Seas, and instead, called it dealing with ‘provocation’. After the Justin Trudeau-led government in Canada and Anthony Albanese's government in Australia said that Chinese planes threatened the safety of their jets by flying “dangerously close”, experts in Beijing have said that Canberra and Ottawa are ‘the ones who are guilty in the first place, trying to throw mud at China without reflecting on their own behaviours’, according to Global Times. 

Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece, Global Times cited experts in the country accusing both Australia and Canada of provocation. While Canada stated that Chinese planes “buzzed” “buzzing” Ottawa’s jets over international waters and were so close that the pilots of both nations could make eye contact, a Chinese source told the outlet that ‘the truth is, t was the Canadian warplanes that travelled all the way to the East China Sea and conducted close-in reconnaissance and made provocations on China.’

The Chinese aircraft “dealt” with the Canadian counterparts completely legitimately and within their rights, said the source, according to the Chinese media outlet who requested anonymity. Referring to Ottawa’s claims that its CP-140 Aurora plane was taking part in Operation Neon in line with United Nations’ efforts to enforce sanctions against North Korea, the source question, ‘North Korea is so far away from Canada, what is the true purpose of the Canadian flights in the name of the UN?’

The source further accused Canada of ‘hyping the “China threat” theory’. 

Australia made 'provocations moves on China'

Meanwhile, Australia on Sunday also echoed similar remarks as Canada, pertaining to activities by Chinese planes. Australian Defence Ministry said that a P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force was intercepted by a Chinese J-16 fighter aircraft during a routine maritime surveillance activity in the South China Sea in May. Canberra had stated that the Chinese spy plane was flying in international space and the interception by Beijing’s jet led to a dangerous manoeuvre. 

Australian Defence Ministry went on to say that the Chinese plane released flares, cut in front of Canberra’s jet and unveiled a bag of “chaff” in the flight path which included aluminium and was sucked into P-8’s engine. However, in this case, Global Times cited analysts as saying that Australia likely conducted ‘close-in reconnaissance and made provocative moves on China, just like the Canadian aircraft’. 

Zhang Xuefeng, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times on Sunday, ‘Some Western militaries often complain first while being the ones who are guilty in the first place’ after suggesting that P-8 could have used a jamming pod if Chinese planes did use flares and chaff. 

Image: AP