SYDNEY (REUTERS) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said a Chinese naval vessel that pointed a laser at an Australian defence plane was potentially visible from Australia's mainland, as Canberra demands a "full investigation"by Beijing.
Mr Morrison said on radio on Monday (Feb 21) his government had not received an explanation from China over the incident last Thursday, considered by Canberra as a "dangerous and reckless act".
China said Australia’s version of events did "not square up with facts" and that Australia had dropped a Sonobuoy, which can help detect submarines, near Chinese ships. The Australian defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A Chinese navy vessel within Australia's exclusive economic zone directed a laser at an Australian military aircraft in flight over Australia's northern approaches, illuminating the plane and potentially endangering lives, Australia's defence said on Saturday.
The P-8A Poseidon - a maritime patrol aircraft - detected a laser emanating from a People's Liberation Army - Navy (PLA-N) vessel, the Defence Department said, releasing photographs of two Chinese vessels sailing close to Australia's northern coast.
A Chinese guided missile destroyer and an amphibious transport dock were sailing east through the Arafura Sea between New Guinea and Australia at the time of the incident, and later passed through the narrow Torres Strait.
"It's possible people could even see the vessel from our mainland, potentially," Mr Morrison told reporters in Tasmania on Monday.
Australia had called through diplomatic and defence channels for "a full investigation into this event", he said on local radio.
He compared the incident to a hypothetical situation of an Australian frigate pointing a laser at Chinese surveillance aircraft in the Taiwan Strait, adding: "Could you imagine their reaction to that in Beijing?"
China’s defence ministry defended the actions of its vessels, saying its vessels abided by international law, pinning any blame on Australia.
"The Australian P-8 anti-submarine patrol aircraft arrived in the airspace around our ship formation, and the nearest was only 4km away from our ship," defence ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said in a post on the ministry’s official Weibo page published on Monday.
"From the photos taken by our ships, it can be seen that the Australian plane is very close to our ship and also drops Sonobuoys around our ship. Such malicious provocative behavior is very easy to lead to misunderstanding and misjudgment, posing a threat to the safety of ships and personnel on both sides," Mr Tan added.
Two Chinese defence ministry stamped photos, which could not be verified, were attached with the Weibo post.
"We demand that the Australian side immediately stop similar provocative and dangerous actions and stop making groundless accusations and smears against the Chinese side, so as not to affect the overall situation of relations between the two countries and two militaries," Mr Tan said.
"The Chinese vessel sailing in the high seas complies with relevant international law and international practice and is fully legitimate and legal," foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters at a regular briefing in Beijing.
"We urge the Australian side to respect Chinese vessels legitimate rights in accordance with international law in relevant seas and stop maliciously spreading disinformation in regards to China."
