CCP’s Fighter Jet Intercepted Australian Military Aircraft Over the South China Sea

On Jun 5, the Australian defense department stated that a fighter jet of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) dangerously intercepted an Australian military surveillance plane over the South China Sea in May.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said that the Royal Australian Air Force P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft was intercepted by a PLA’s J-16 fighter jet during a routine maritime surveillance activity in international airspace over the South China Sea on May 26. When the PLA’s J-16 cut in front of the P-8 at a very close distance, it released a bundle of chaff containing small pieces of aluminum that entered the P-8’s engine, which, Richard emphasized, was a dangerous maneuver posing a safety threat to the P-8 and its crew.

Previously, Australia reportedly endorsed a statement by the U.S. stating that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s claims for the disputed islands in the South China Sea do not comply with international law. Australian air forces have been undertaking maritime surveillance in accordance with international law in the region for decades, exercising the right to free navigation and overflight in international waters and airspace. The Australian Government has expressed concerns to CCP authorities through official channels but has not yet heard back from CCP’s embassy in Canberra.