An Australian pilot was forced to take evasive action after a Chinese military jet detonated flares close to a Navy helicopter that was operating in international waters near South Korea.
The Defence Department has described the actions of the J-10 Chinese Air Force plane as "unsafe and unprofessional" following the incident which took place in the Yellow Sea over the weekend.
On Saturday a MH-60R Seahawk which had launched from HMAS Hobart was intercepted by the People's Liberation Army-Air Force (PLA-AF) as it was taking part in a UN mission to enforce sanctions against North Korea.
This media release is precisely the correct measured response to this kind of childish behaviour from China.
Cutting coal and iron exports would harm australua more than China. They put a tax on our wine and barley and that did some damage.
This type of flex from China is already commonplace in SEA, and thankfully we have cool heads in charge who will hold the right positions and respond in a measured way.