‘Hostile act’: China move should terrify us all

Is it a sign of things to come?

Last week, the Australian air warfare frigate HMAS Hobart joined forces from the United States, Japan and the Philippines in maritime drills in the West Philippine Sea (the portion of the South China Sea).

Chinese warships watched over the proceedings from a distance. But, earlier this week, an Australian P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft operating nearby was involved in a dangerous incident.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has accused Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) J-16 Hidden Dragon strike-fighter fighter jets of “unsafe and unprofessional” behaviour.

Beijing insists it was within its rights to do what it did.

“Australia is … advancing its own selfish agenda. Its actions of infringing on China’s territorial airspace of Xisha Qundao and threatening China’s national security, while shifting blame and shirking responsibility,” the state-controlled Global Times quoted international affairs analyst Ding Duo as saying.

This was “highly irresponsible and detrimental to the healthy development of bilateral relations”, he added.

Now, China’s navy is returning the favour.

A flotilla of two warships and a military supply vessel have been spotted in the maritime approaches to the north of Australia.

And that highlights the nation’s greates...
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