Australia's Ministry of Defense on Wednesday denied that a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion surveillance plane had entered within the 12 nautical miles limit around China's islands in the South China Sea.
A spokesman from the Australian Defense Forces said the RAAF airplane was conducting a routine maritime patrol in the region of northern Indian Ocean and the South China Sea as part of the Operation Gateway from Nov. 25 to Dec. 4.
Operation Gateway refers to the joint military operations between Australia and ASEAN countries such as Malaysia to fight against maritime human trafficking and maintain the safety and stability in northern Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. Australia is responsible to provide air and naval forces to patrol and conduct surveillance actions.
The Defense Ministry noted that the RAAF AP-3C Orion did not enter the 12-nautical-mile limit of the islands and islets and the relevant air space. Instead, the plane was on a routine flight.
The BBC reported on Tuesday that its journalists aboard of a chartered flight over the disputed islands intercepted radio communications of the RAAF aircraft broadcasting to the Chinese navy.
"We are Australian aircraft exercising International freedom-of-navigation rights, in international airspace in accordance with the International civil aviation convention and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Over."
BBC said the flight was made on Nov. 25.
Defense Minister Marise Payne also said the Australian navy and air force have been conducting similar operations since the 1980s in international space and waters in Indian Ocean and South China Sea. This time is no difference.
Responding to a question on Tuesday about the Australian flight, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: "I'd like to reiterate that freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is not a problem. Countries outside the region should respect other countries' sovereignty instead of creating trouble."
