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Australia to continue South China Sea patrols despite efforts to improve relations with Beijing
- The new Labor government has said it wants to improve ties, but analysts say Canberra will not be willing to trade away its national interests
- The head of the Australian air force Robert Chipman says it will be ‘business as usual’ in the disputed waters
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Australia has said it will continue military patrols in the South China Sea, a move diplomatic analysts said was likely to complicate efforts to improve relations with China.
“Our operations haven’t changed, it is still business as usual for us,” Australian air force chief Robert Chipman said, according to ABC News. He added the Australian Defence Force was “well equipped” for its operations in the South China Sea.
Chipman was speaking alongside US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall amid the ongoing Pitch Black military drills in Australia’s Northern Territory.
Australian and Chinese planes have had a number of close encounters above the disputed waters, prompting accusations of unsafe and “unprofessional” behaviour by the Chinese military.
In May, Australia claimed a Chinese J-16 fighter aircraft intercepted an Australian P-8 surveillance aircraft over the South China Sea, releasing metallic chaff that was ingested by the Australian plane’s engines.
A few months earlier, Australia condemned China for pointing lasers at a jet in waters off northern Australia.
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