Defence chief hits back at China spying claim after helicopter incident
Australia’s defence chief has rejected Beijing’s claim that a Navy helicopter targeted by a Chinese military jet with flares was spying. The near catastrophic incident in the Yellow Sea of South Korea has caused tension between Australia and its biggest trading partner. The chief of Defence Force says the Seahawk helicopter launched off HMAS Hobart and it was operating appropriately. The helicopter was behaving in a correct and disciplined fashion. And I don’t accept that the response was anything but unsafe and unprofessional. HMAS Hobart is in the area as part of a United Nations mission to enforce trade sanctions against North Korea.