ADF monitoring Chinese warships operating off Australian coastline days after ‘unsafe’ fighter plane incident

Beijing has hit back at Canberra after Australia demanded answers as to why a Chinese warplane dropped flares on a Royal Australian Air Force surveillance aircraft.

China has “demanded” Australia stop “provoking” it.

The Australian Defence Force revealed the “unsafe and unprofessional” encounter with the People’s Liberation Army occurred over the South China Sea on Thursday.

The ADF has also said it was monitoring three Chinese warships lurking off Australia’s northeast coast.

“On 11 February 2025, a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft conducting a routine maritime surveillance patrol in the South China Sea experienced an unsafe and unprofessional interaction with a PLA-AF J-16 fighter aircraft,” Defence said in a statement.

“The PLA-AF aircraft released flares in proximity to the RAAF P-8A aircraft.

“This was an unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvre that posed a risk to the aircraft and personnel.”

No personnel were injured and the P-8A was not damaged in the incident.

“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a safe and professional manner,” Defence said.

“For decades, the ADF has undertaken maritime surveillance activities in the region, and does so in accordance with international law, exercising the right to freedom of navigation and overflight in international waters and airspace.”

China hits back

However China has responded by “demanding” Australia “stop provocations” in the South China Sea.

On Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun claimed Australian aircraft “deliberately intruded” into China’s territorial airspace around the Paracel Islands without China’s permission.

This was “infringing on China’s sovereignty and endangering China’s national security”.

The Paracel Islands is disputed land in the South China Sea, south of China and east of Vietnam. China has a presence on the islands but Australia does not recognise its sovereignty over them.

Mr Guo said China’s actions were “legitimate and exercised with professional restraint”.

Beijing had lodged “solemn representations … demanding that Australia stop its infringement and provocations and stop undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea,” Communist Party mouthpiece The Global Times reported.

It is the latest in a series of incidents in recent years.

Last year, a Chinese fighter jet detonated flares near an Australian navy helicopter.

In 2022, another Chinese fighter jet released chaff in front of a P-8A, damaging the Australian aircraft.

Chinese warships off Australia

The ADF said two People’s Liberation Army-navy (PLA-N) frigates and a replenishment vessel were navigating the Coral Sea.

While Defence sources said the ships were abiding by international law, NewsWire understands one of the ships passed through the Torres Strait.

“Defence is aware of a People’s Liberation Army-navy (PLA-N) task group operating to the north east of Australia,” the ADF said.

“Defence can confirm the Chinese vessels are the PLA-N Jiangkai-class frigate named Hengyang; the PLA-N Renhai cruiser named Zunyi and the PLA-N Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu.”

Defence said the ships had “travelled through Southeast Asia, before entering Australia’s maritime approaches”.

“Australia respects the rights of all states to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, just as we expect others to respect Australia’s right to do the same,” the ADF said.

“Defence will continue to monitor the activities of the task group in Australia’s maritime approaches with a combination of capabilities, including air and maritime assets.”