New Zealand has defended the actions of one of its military patrol aircraft after China accused it of undermining Beijing’s security interests in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday that a New Zealand P-8A aircraft had conducted “continuous close-in reconnaissance and harassment” in the airspace and waters of the region. He claimed the activity increased risks of misunderstanding and disrupted civil aviation order.
In response, the New Zealand Defence Force stated that the Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft was undertaking a routine mission to monitor North Korean sanctions evasion at sea, in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions.
“The New Zealand Defence Force crew operated professionally and in accordance with international law and civil aviation procedures for the region,” the statement said. “This is a longstanding deployment enforcing UN-mandated sanctions on North Korea.”
The incident highlights ongoing sensitivities in the region. Relations between New Zealand and China were strained last February when Chinese naval vessels conducted live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea close to New Zealand. The two countries’ leaders later met in June to discuss strengthening trade ties.
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