Australia said the incidence of “very aggressive actions” that occurred in the exclusive economic zone.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison accused Beijing of the ‘intimidation’ after the Chinese naval ship directed a laser on the Australian Military Supervisory aircraft last week.
The POSEIDON POSEIDON maritime patrol aircraft was illuminated on Thursday while flying over the northern approach of Australia by laser from the Army-Army ship (PLA-N), which has the potential to endanger life, the Department of Defense said.
Morrison said the government would demand answers from Beijing.
“I can see it there is no other way besides intimidation, one (…) is not proven, it is unreasonable,” Morrison said at the briefing. “And Australia will never accept such intimidation.”
Defense Minister Peter Dutton said the incident “very aggressive action” that occurred in the Australian exclusive economic zone.
“I think the Chinese government hopes that no one is talking about this aggressive intimidation,” Dutton told Sky News television. “We see various forms right throughout the region and in many parts of the world.”
The Chinese ship sailed east with another PLA-N ship through the Arafura Sea at the time of the incident, the department said. The sea is located between the north coast of Australia and the South Coast of New Guinea.
Relationship between Australia and China, the top trading partner, which is immersed after Canberra forbade Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd from the 5G broadband network in 2018, laws that are toughened to foreign political interference, and urge independent investigation into the origin of Covid-19.