Australia’s Defence Ministry condemns “unsafe and unprofessional interaction” after an incident involving Chinese and Australian aircraft over the South China Sea.
A Su-35 fighter jet from the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLA-AF) released flares near an Australian P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft on October 19, 2025, in an episode the Canberra government described as an “unsafe and unprofessional maneuver.”
According to a statement released Monday by the Australian Department of Defence, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft was conducting a maritime surveillance mission over the South China Sea when the Chinese fighter approached.
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“The Australian Government has expressed its concerns to the Chinese Government following an unsafe and unprofessional interaction with a People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLA-AF) aircraft,” the statement said.
The Defence Ministry noted that the Su-35 released flares near the P-8A — “a maneuver that posed a safety risk to the aircraft and its crew.” No Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel were injured, and the aircraft sustained no damage.
The ministry also stressed that ADF operations “have been conducted for decades in accordance with international law, exercising the right to freedom of navigation and overflight in international waters and airspace.”
Meanwhile, the Southern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army offered a contrasting version of the event. In a statement, spokesperson Colonel Li Jianjian claimed that the Australian aircraft “illegally entered China’s territorial airspace over the Xisha Qundao (Paracel Islands)” without authorization.
“The Southern Theater Command organized naval and air forces to track, monitor, and warn off the Australian aircraft, taking strong countermeasures in accordance with laws and regulations,” Li stated.
The incident reignites tensions between China and Australia in one of the world’s most contested regions, where Beijing claims sovereignty over vast maritime areas disputed by several Southeast Asian nations.
Source and images: X @ChinaMilBugle | Royal Australian Air Force X @AusAirForce. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
