Australian PM Wants ‘Full Investigation’ Into Chinese Warship’s Targeting of Air Force Plane

A People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) Luyang-class guided missile destroyer leaves the Torres Strait and enters the Coral Sea on Feb. 18, 2022 (Supplied/Australian Defence Department).

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is pushing hard for a “full investigation” into a maritime incident on Feb. 17 in which a Chinese warship pointed a military-grade laser at an Australian surveillance plane—a hostile act that normally precedes the firing of weapons, according to one defense expert.

The Morrison government has reacted strongly to the incident, which was reported by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) over the weekend, with the prime minister calling it an “act of intimidation.” On Feb. 21, Morrison said the government is working through “diplomatic and defense channels” to push for an investigation into the incident.

“For what is supposed to be a professional defense force, this is a dangerous and reckless act. And worse, it can be seen, as I said yesterday, as an act of intimidation and bullying,” he told Radio 2GB. “They were in our exclusive economic zone, and they were pointing a laser at an Australian surveillance aircraft.

A Headquarters Joint Operations Command storyboard depicting the movements of a People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLA-N) Luyang-class guided-missile destroyer and a PLA-N Yuzhao-class amphibious transport dock vessel, including their passage into the Arafura Sea and through the Torres Strait into the Coral Sea. Note the lasing incident against a Royal Australian Air Force P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft that occurred on Feb. 17, 2022 (Supplied/Australian Defence Department).

“Could you imagine if that had been an Australian frigate up in the Taiwan Strait or a U.S. vessel or a Japanese, French, German, or UK vessel? And they were pointing lasers at Chinese surveillance aircraft ... just as our surveillance aircraft were. Could you imagine their reaction to that in Beijing?”

John Blaxland, a defense professor at the Australian National University, said shining a laser on a target would often be construed as a hostile act by military personnel.

“Pointing a laser is often referred to as ‘painting a target’ before firing live munitions, such as artillery shells, machine guns, or missiles,” he wrote in The Conversation on Feb. 20. “This is because laser pointing is separated from firing a missile with hostile intent by a mere split second. This can be a nerve-wracking experience for those subjected to such beams.”

Blaxland also said laser beams can damage an individual’s eyes, as well as air safety equipment.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy vessel, a Luyang-class guided-missile destroyer, was traversing the seas north of Australia, accompanied by another Chinese ship, a Yuzhao-class amphibious transport dock vessel.

A People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) Luyang-class guided-missile destroyer (left) and a PLA-N Yuzhao-class amphibious transport dock vessel leave the Torres Strait and enter the Coral Sea on Feb. 18, 2022 (Supplied/Australian Defence Department).

During the incident, the vessels were in the Arafura Sea while legally within Australia’s exclusive economic zone. The laser was fired at a P-8A Poseidon aircraft that was dispatched to monitor the vessels.

Australia’s Defence Department has responded by shining a spotlight—and the world’s attention—on the Chinese military’s activities by publicizing the incident and providing images of the ships to media outlets.

Morrison was questioned during a press conference on why China was named.

“It happened. It is indisputable. It was a Chinese naval vessel,” he told reporters. “It was possible that people could even see the vessel from our mainland, so we disclosed that because this needs to be called out.”

The ADF adopted a similar tactic when Chinese spy ships were sighted off the coast monitoring military exercises.

“It’s an Australian surveillance aircraft this time. What’s next? It’s very important that China explain themselves for this act of recklessness,” Morrison said.