Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, has declared a laser incident involving a Royal Australian Air Force aircraft last week is an “act of intimidation” by #China. theguardian.com/australia-news…
Australia’s defence department reported a laser emanating from a People’s Liberation Army Navy vessel illuminated a P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft last Thursday when the Chinese ship was sailing east through the Arafura sea.
On Sunday, the prime minister characterised the episode as “a reckless and irresponsible act that should not have occurred”. Thursday’s incident in waters to the north of Australia followed days of domestic political contention about national security.
Morrison said Australia would be “making our views very clear” to the Chinese government through defence and diplomatic channels. Morrison said China needed to provide an explanation “as to why a military vessel in Australia’s exclusive economic zone...
... would undertake such an act – such a dangerous act”. “I can see it no other way than an act of intimidation, one that was unprovoked, unwarranted,” Morrison told reporters on Sunday. “Australia will never accept such acts of intimidation.”
With a federal election looming, Morrison is attempting to paint his political opponents as being weak on national security, and has declared the authoritarian regime in Beijing wants Labor to replace the Coalition in the coming contest.
But thus far Morrison and the defence minister, Peter Dutton, have ignored the warnings. Persisting with his political framing, Morrison declared on Sunday the Coalition had always “stood up” to acts of aggression by China.
“What I can tell you is the way Australia stands up to coercion, bullying, and intimidation and threats – that is what my government has been doing,” the prime minister said.
“You’ve got to take a strong stance on these issues. It’s not just about what you say, it’s about what you do, and what our government has been doing is protecting Australia’s national interest and protecting us from such threats and intimidation.”
Morrison said the laser incident “highlights why, as a government, we have made this such a significant issue”. He said the Coalition had “demonstrated our credentials on national security”.
The prime minister said the Coalition had increased funding for defence and intelligence gathering, and “did not abandon our borders as Labor did”.
He said the laser incident strengthened his “resolve” to boost Australia’s resilience. Morrison said the Coalition would not be “taking an appeasement path” when it came to China’s militarisation in the region.
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