ALBAWABA- China has accused Australia of violating its airspace over the Xisha Islands, stating that the Chinese military took necessary measures to repel the intrusion, as reported by the Chinese Ministry of External Affairs.
This marks the second such breach in two years, with a similar incident occurring in July 2022.
According to China's Ministry of National Defense, an Australian P-8A ASW aircraft repeatedly approached the Xisha Islands on May 26, 2022 for close-in reconnaissance despite multiple warnings.
In response, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command deployed maritime and aerial forces to intercept and warn the aircraft away.
Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for the ministry, condemned the incursion, stating that the Australian warplane posed a serious threat to China’s sovereign security.
He defended the PLA's response as "professional, safe, reasonable, and legitimate."
China also dismissed Australia's claims that a PLA warplane dangerously intercepted the aircraft, insisting that its actions were necessary to safeguard national security.
