People's Liberation Army J-10 dropped flares on Australian military aircraft on duty. Australia: "Unacceptable"

On May 6, the Australian Department of Defense revealed that while an Australian military aircraft was on duty over the Yellow Sea, China threw flares. Although the Australian military aircraft was not affected, China's behavior was "unsafe and unprofessional" and "unacceptable."

The Australian Department of Defense said on Monday that the Chinese Air Force launched flares at Australian military aircraft over the Yellow Sea. Although the Australian military aircraft successfully evaded and no casualties were caused, the consequences of the incident may be "very serious" and "unacceptable."

According to Reuters, on May 4, when Australia was enforcing sanctions against North Korea in the Yellow Sea area, Chinese J-10 fighter jets threw flares several hundred meters above and in front of Australia's MH60R Seahawk helicopter. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said this week that China's actions were "both unsafe and unprofessional." At present, the Beijing authorities have not yet responded.

The report pointed out that since the relaxation of relations between China and Australia, a similar incident occurred in November last year. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, when the Australian Navy frigate "HMAS Toowoomba" (HMAS Toowoomba) was performing a United Nations sanctions mission in Japan's economic waters, despite constantly releasing international signals informing the ship that it was conducting diving operations, it was not protected by China's activities nearby. The Navy destroyer "Ningbo" still moved closer to the "Toowoomba", getting closer and firing sonar, causing injuries to Australian divers. At that time, Liu Jianchao, director of the International Liaison Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, responded that the accident took place in disputed waters between China and Japan and denied that China had done anything to harm sailors, naval personnel or ships.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Defense also released multiple photos and videos, showing a surge in dangerous behaviors by Chinese People's Liberation Army military aircraft in the East China Sea and South China Sea, with as many as 180 incidents in two years, exceeding the total of the previous 10 years. If U.S. allies and partners are included, there are nearly 300 similar cases. In October 2023, Chinese J-11 fighter jets also twice approached Canadian helicopters over the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea and projected flares. At that time , Air Force Lieutenant Commander Rob Millen of the Royal Canadian Navy frigate "HMCS Ottawa" told CNN that it was quite common for Chinese military aircraft to approach fixed-wing aircraft, but as this time it targeted Helicopter operations are rare.