Peter Dutton slams China’s ‘consistently bad’ behaviour following laser incident

Defence Minister Peter Dutton has blasted China’s actions on the international stage following a ‘dangerous’ incident between the two countries’ militaries.

Federal Defence Minister Peter Dutton has blasted China’s actions on the international stage as “consistently bad” in the wake of an incident between the two countries’ militaries.

Australia’s defence department reported a laser emanating from a People’s Liberation Army vessel illuminated a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft last Thursday.

The aircraft was in Australia’s exclusive economic zone off the nation’s Top End.

“There’s obviously a pattern of conduct here that the Chinese government is ramping up, and they think through that intimidation that somehow the Australian government will cower – which, of course, we won’t,” Mr Dutton told 3AW on Monday.

A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) reconnaissance photo of a People's Liberation Army-navy Luyang-class guided missile destroyer that transited the Arafura Sea. Picture: Defence Department.

“The acts of aggression we’re seeing in the East China Sea toward Japan by the Chinese government, the acts of aggression we’re seeing on the India-China land border against India, there’s a pattern of behaviour here and the pattern of behaviour is … consistently bad from the government of China,” he added.

China has hit back at the claims, implying the Prime Minister used the incident as an excuse to throw mud at Beijing.

Scott Morrison on Monday said the act was reckless for “what is supposed to be a professional defence force”.

But Beijing now claims the Chinese warship was in international waters and it was actually the Australian aircraft that was acting dangerously.

“It is almost certain that it was the Australian patrol aircraft that conducted a close-in reconnaissance on the Chinese warships first,” the state-controlled Global Times wrote, citing military expert Song Zhongping.

“Australia failed to tell the public how close its aircraft flew near the Chinese vessels, so people could not tell if the Chinese vessels were forced to take defensive countermeasures.”

Mr Morrison on Sunday called the attack an “act of intimidation”. Picture: Glen Campbell

Earlier, Mr Morrison confirmed demands for Beijing to explain itself over the incident had gone unanswered.

“We haven't received an explanation as yet. What we’ve called for, working through the diplomatic and defence channels, is a full investigation into this event and for them to provide answers to how this dangerous act could be undertaken,” Mr Morrison told 2GB.

“Could you imagine if that had been an Australian frigate up in the Taiwan Strait and they were pointing lasers at Chinese surveillance aircraft?

“Could you imagine the reaction to that in Beijing?”

Mr Dutton says it’s unlikely Australia will get a response about what sparked the attack. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Dutton said he would write to his Chinese counterpart.

But he conceded it was unlikely he would receive a response, given the ongoing tension between Canberra and Beijing.

“We will see what sort of response, if any, we get,” he told Today.

“We want that open dialogue, we want a good relationship. But Australia is not going to be bullied, we aren't going to walk away from our obligations to the rule of law.”

He said the attack had the potential to risk Australian lives.

“This is not a laser that you buy down at the shop,” Mr Dutton said.

“This is a military technique and it is military-grade equipment.”

Meanwhile Shadow Defence Minister Brendan O’Connor told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing that Labor condemns China’s actions and is awaiting further briefing from Mr Dutton and the ADF.

It is believed Shadow Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Mr O’Connor will be involved in the briefings.

“It is important for us to briefed in terms of the exact location of the surveillance craft and what would seem to be highly irresponsible actions taken by the PLA vessel” Mr O’Connor said.

“Certainly from the beginning we’ve argued that we need to do every thing we can to maintain peace and stability in the region.

“We need to be forthright and clear that it is unacceptable for such aggression.

“It is very likely that Labor would immediately agree with the government by sending the strongest possible message to the Chinese government that this is utterly unequivocally unacceptable.

“The incident itself really does underline how important it is that we take a bipartisan approach to national security and it does, I think, reflect poorly on the government who has reduced national security and bipartisanship in the last two weeks as a desperate act for political purposes.”

Originally published as Peter Dutton slams China’s ‘consistently bad’ behaviour following laser incident