“It’s important that you get your facts straight when you make an attribution of this kind, and we don’t do it lightly, but we do do it when Australian personnel are put in danger.”

A RAAF P-8A Poseidon aircraft. Credit: Australian Defence Force

But China’s foreign ministry disputes the government’s account of events, saying Australia violated Chinese sovereignty.

“The Chinese side took legitimate, lawful, professional and restrained measures to expel the airplane.”

Labor minister rejects violation claim

“Australians need to know that the Australian aircraft and Australia are in the right and this Chinese jet is in the wrong.”

Opposition critical of Labor’s handling of events

“We have made representations through our normal diplomatic channels. We regard this action as unsafe. We have made that clear. We have made it public as well as in private,” he told reporters.

Chinese warships

“And whenever this mission is over, we will assess it to understand exactly what the Chinese were trying to achieve.”