Canberra, October 20, 2025: Australia has lodged a diplomatic protest with Beijing after a Chinese fighter jet released flares dangerously close to an Australian surveillance aircraft over the South China Sea.
According to reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the incident marks the latest in a series of interactions between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Chinese military aircraft in the region.
Defence Minister Richard Marles stated that no personnel were harmed during the encounter but condemned the Chinese action as “unsafe and unprofessional.” He confirmed that an Australian P-8 surveillance plane was on a routine patrol when it was approached by a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fighter jet.
Marles explained that Australia was making the incident public as part of a broader strategy to respond to increasingly risky maneuvers by Chinese forces in contested areas.
The episode comes amid heightened tensions in the region. Last month, a Canadian frigate and an Australian destroyer sailed through the Taiwan Strait, drawing sharp protests from Beijing. Chinese state media, including the Global Times, reported that PLA forces monitored the transit closely.
According to the Eastern Theater Command of the PLA, the operation “sent wrong signals, increased security risks, and reinforced that China remains on high alert to safeguard its national sovereignty, security, and regional stability,” a statement by Senior Colonel Shi Yi said.
Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is scheduled to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, on Monday, underscoring the ongoing diplomatic coordination amid rising regional tensions.
