Morrison plays anti-China card ahead of election: China Daily editorial

A spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense rebutted the claim by the Australian Department of Defence that a Chinese naval vessel engaged in unprofessional and unsafe military conduct that endangered the safety and lives of the crew of an Australian P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft on Feb 17.

Senior Colonel Tan Kefei said the Chinese ship responded with normal actions that conform to international law in responding to the provocative actions by the Australian Defence Force aircraft.

By claiming that the Australian surveillance plane was doing its job when it was "put under threat" when illuminated by a rangefinder laser from a Chinese navy ship, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was being disingenuous.

With such an attitude, there is no guarantee that a more dangerous incident may not happen in the future.

The Australian side is deliberately spreading false information about the ADF's actions, which were "spiteful and provocative", and making irresponsible claims about a "potentially dangerous encounter".

The truth is, as shown by two pictures released by China's Defense Ministry on Monday, the Australian aircraft entered the airspace around the PLA naval vessel, closing to within 4 kilometers, before dropping a sonobuoy near the Chinese ship, presumably to see if they were accompanied by a submarine.

The 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 the latter passed through the Torres Strait.

While it is "possible people could even see the vessel from our mainland, potentially", as Morrison claimed, the Chinese vessel was sailing in full compliance with relevant international laws and international practice, and its actions were fully legitimate and legal.

In an election year, Morrison may be trying to exploit the incident, which he called an "act of intimidation" by the Chinese naval vessel to boost his chances of being re-elected. Certainly the last thing he will want to do will be to accept the blame for a misjudgment. But turning a blind eye to the truth and trying to pass the buck to China to reinforce his hawkish image will not boost his credibility when there is clear evidence showing that Australia's claims are malicious disinformation intended to smear China.

Worse, the latest incident points to the possibility that his relentless backing of the military might lead to a miscalculation of the regional situation and Canberra making a strategic misstep. With the backing of the US alliance and the prospect of acquiring a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS framework it has formed with the United States and the United Kingdom, it should not let itself get so carried away that it loses touch with reality.