China accusing Australia of military spying sends a ‘message’ towards US allies

Former DFAT Australia China Council scholar Andrew Phelan says China accusing Australia of spying on its military is sending a “message” towards US allies and the Yellow Sea.

Mr Phelan joined Sky News Australia to discuss the recent confrontation between a Chinese fighter jet and an Australian Navy helicopter.

“It’s a message that China is sending to Australia saying, ‘we don’t want US allies in the Yellow Sea’, which is close to the Chinese capital, and there’s military assets in the Yellow Sea, the water is quite shallow there as well,” he said.

“Australia has not transgressed any international laws. It’s been operating in international waters under a UN-sponsored program.

“But I don’t think China particularly goes out of its way to assist any sanction monitoring on North Korea, which is essentially an ally.”