MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) 鈥 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday rejected China's argument that Australia was responsible for a dangerous weekend encounter between their military aircraft in international airspace over the Yellow Sea.
Both China and Australia lodged official protests and blamed each other for a Chinese warplane鈥檚 extraordinary use of flares against an Australian navy helicopter on Saturday.
The Seahawk鈥檚 pilot had to 鈥渢ake evasive action鈥 to avoid the flares, which were dropped in the helicopter鈥檚 flightpath by a Chinese Chengdu J-10 fighter jet, Australian officials said.
There were no injuries or damage, although experts warned the helicopter could have been forced to ditch at sea if an engine had been struck by a flare.
Australia accused China of unprofessional and unacceptable behavior, while China retorted that the Seahawk deliberately flew close to China鈥檚 airspace in a 鈥減rovocative move.鈥
Albanese said he rejected China鈥檚 argument that the Australians had been at fault.
He highlighted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian鈥檚 statement that the helicopter 鈥渇lew within close range of China鈥檚 airspace.鈥
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a confirmation that this chopper was in international air space,鈥 Albanese told Perth Radio 6PR.
Albanese also noted the helicopter had been upholding international law at the time as part of the crew of an Australian air warfare destroyer that was enforcing U.N. Security Council sanctions against North Korea.
鈥淭his was unprofessional and unacceptable. And the Chinese spokesperson鈥檚 comments do nothing to undermine or to question what is the Australian Defense Force鈥檚 assessment of the P.L.A.鈥檚 unsafe behavior,鈥 Albanese said, referring to China鈥檚 People鈥檚 Liberation Army.
China鈥檚 Ministry of 春色直播 Defense added an accusation that the Australian destroyer had sent helicopter missions to carry out "close-in reconnaissance and disturbance鈥 of a Chinese navy training exercise.
China issued warnings and forced them to leave, ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang said. He called the steps legitimate and in accordance with international law.
鈥淲e firmly oppose the Australian side鈥檚 statement confusing black and white and making unfounded countercharges,鈥 Zhang said in a statement.
The Australian government did not immediately respond to the Chinese suggestion of spying.
It was the most serious encounter between the two nations鈥 forces since Australia accused the Chinese destroyer CNS Ningbo of with sonar pulses in Japanese waters in November.
Albanese said the weekend encounter would be raised with Chinese Premier Li Qiang when he visits Australia next month.
___
Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.
