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.
