China's Interception of Australian Spy Plane Among 'Most Significant Threats to Peace,' US Claims

The Chinese Defense Ministry has been critical of both Canada and Australia for flying their military aircraft near China's territory over the East China and South China Seas respectively. Beijing has warned of “serious consequences” if Canberra continues its military activity in the South China Sea, most of which is claimed by Beijing.

The interception of a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft by Chinese fighter jets over the South China Sea in May counts as among the “most significant threats to peace” in the the Asia-Pacific region, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Ely Ratner said on Wednesday.

Australia's Defense Minister Richard Marles alleged that a Chinese J-16 fighter jet cut in front of the Australian plane and released chaff with small bits of aluminum which was sucked into the P8’s engine.

Beijing accuses Australia of “hyping” the encounter and has urged it to be “careful with its words and deeds.”

"Over the last five years, the number of unsafe PLA [People's Liberation Army] intercepts, including US allies and partners operating lawfully in international airspace in the South China Sea has increased dramatically with dozens of dangerous events in the first half of this year alone," Ratner said during an address to the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

“In my view, this aggressive and irresponsible behavior represents one of the most significant threats to peace and stability in the region today, including in the South China Sea," the American official stated.

During his address, Ratner also recalled several reported encounters between Canadian fighter jets and People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) jets over the East China Sea in April and May.

The Canadian military has alleged that its fighter jets were in the region to enforce United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions against North Korea.

The American official brought up another encounter between a Chinese guided missile destroyer and an Australian P8 aircraft in the Arafura Sea in February this year.

The Australian Defense Department at the time accused the Chinese military vessel of “aiming a laser” at the Australian plane and endangering the lives of the personnel onboard.

Ratner claimed that all these incidents were part of an effort by Beijing to “test the limits” of the US and its allies and “advance a new status quo” in the region.

Ratner said the US strategy to deter Beijing and advance a “free and open Indo-Pacific” involves creating “asymmetric advantages” for Washington’s regional partners and “enabling the most capable” of them, as well as “building a combat-credible forward presence” in the region.

“Our alliances with Australia, Japan, the Philippines, the ROK and Thailand remain at the center of our approach,” he concluded.