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CHINA dismissed Australian claims today it engaged in an “unsafe and unprofessional” confrontation with the Australian military in the South China Sea.
A Chinese J-16 fighter released flares on Tuesday that came within 100 feet of an Australian P-8 Poseidon surveillance jet near the Paracel Islands.
The islands are disputed between China and Vietnam and lie about 220 miles from each, but are over 2,000 miles from Australia. China has administered them since defeating the South Vietnamese navy in a clash over them in 1974.
Australia protested to Beijing that the aircraft were so close the flares could have hit and damaged its plane. It said the P-8 was over international waters.
But Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said the jet had intruded on Chinese airspace and was attempting to spy on Chinese naval manoeuvres.
Australia should stop military activities in the South China Sea that undermine peace and stability, he added.
