China's Dangerous Moves In International Waters: Its J-10 Fighter Jet Releases Flares In Front Of Australian Helicopter

Just a week after ramming and harassing Philippine supply vessels, China is upping the ante even more in international waters.

Last Saturday, (May 4), a Chinese J-10C fighter jet released flares in front of an Australian MH-60 Seahawk helicopter in the international waters of the Yellow Sea.

The helicopter belonged to the Royal Australian Navy destroyer, HMAS Hobart, and was on United Nations Sanctions Committee (UNSC) sanctioned enforcing duties against North Korea in the Yellow Sea when the incident occurred.

According to Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles, the J-10C fighter, hundreds of which are in Chinese service, apart from 36 with Pakistan that were bought as a counter to the Indian Air Force's acquisition of 36 French Rafale fighter jets, released flares in the flight-path of the Seahawk helicopter.

The flares were released 300 meters in front and 60 meters above the Seahawk, which forced the pilot to take evasive maneuvers, failing which could have had disastrous consequences for the machine and the personnel in the helicopter.

Marles described, “The consequence of being hit by the flares would have been significant.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also reacted angrily, stating that the incident is unprofessional and unacceptable. “We’ve just made it very clear to China that this is unprofessional and that it’s unacceptable,” Albanese said.

The Australian PM also asked for an explanation from China, stating that “It’s important that we speak out when events like this occur. It’s important that we make clear our position, which has been done at the diplomatic levels, at government-to-government, but also defense-to-defense as well. And all of those avenues have been made clear. This issue, we have made public in order to be able to speak out very clearly and unequivocally that this behavior is unacceptable.”

This comes after US and allied forces, viz, the Philippines, Australia, and France are holding large-scale exercises in the Western Philippines that involved more than 16,000 military personnel.

In response, China conducted an exercise of its own.

China has been increasingly aggressive in the South China Sea (SCS) and its surrounding areas, attempting to enforce its claim to the imaginary nine-dash line, which it considers its de facto boundary. This claim impinges on the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of multiple nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan and Malaysia.

This aggressive move against Australia, coupled with last week's harassment of two Philippine supply vessels, suggests that China is increasingly irritated by the unified response from the US, Japan, Australia, and various South China Sea nations.

The Indian Navy also operates MH-60R Romeo helicopters, bought from the United States in 2020 under a $2.1 billion deal. This agreement includes the supply of 24 helicopters by the US.

These helicopters are capable of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Search and Rescue (SAR), and maritime patrol duties.