CHINA has launched a furious denial against accusations from Australia its pilots were targeted by lasers over the South China Sea.
Euan Graham of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, who was the aboard the warship from which the aircraft were operating, made the claims when writing for The Strategist blog. Mr Graham told CNN he didn’t actually witness the events, but had been told by Australian pilots they were targeted several times by commercial lasers during missions over the South China Sea. He had been aboard the HMAS Canberra, a helicopter landing dock belonging to the Royal Australian Navy, as it operated in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean during a three-month mission that ended this week.
Whilst at sea, fishermen have been known to use lasers to warn other vessels from getting too close to them.
But Mr Graham said: ”That makes sense for collision of vessels, but obviously there is no direct threat from aircraft to vessels in the South China Sea.
“The maritime militia is, I think, not beyond argument as a tactic which is employed deliberately.”
But China’s Defence Ministry has reacted furiously to the accusations, insisting claims lasers apparently came from Chinese fishing boats is “not consistent with the facts”.
Spokesman Wu Qian told reporters at a monthly briefing that Australia should “reflect on itself” before choosing to point the finger of blame at other countries.
He added: ”According to my knowledge, what you have said is not consistent with the facts.”
After making the accusations against China, the Australian Defence Department claimed forces across the South China Sea region had noticed an increased use of lasers.
The department said in a statement: “The reason for vessels using the lasers is unknown, but it may be to draw attention to their presence in congested waterways.”
It is the latest war of words to engulf countries over military activities across the South China Sea.