Advertisement

Updated June 2nd, 2021 at 19:14 IST

China says military plane off Malaysia 'routine training', cites 'freedom of overflight'

Chinese embassy spokesman in Kuala Lumpur told conference that “activities are routine flight training of Chinese air force and do not target any country”

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
China
(IMAGE: AP) | Image:self
Advertisement

After Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) accused Beijing of threatening Malaysia’s sovereignty, alleging that 16 PLAAF military aircrafts “intruded” 60 nm into Malaysia’s EEZ on 31st May, China countered the claims saying that its aircraft over the contested waters were “conducting a routine training.”  A Labuan-based RMAF 6 Skuadron Hawks scrambled to intercept a Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Xian Y-20 aircraft as it encroached Malaysia's maritime airspace near the coast of Sarawak state on Borneo island with a fleet.

The Chinese Air Force flew 60 nautical miles from Luconia Shoals, which Beijing also claims as part of its territory in the maritime region. The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), in a statement, said that the Chinese aircrafts refused to communicate with local air-traffic controllers posing “a threat to national sovereignty and aviation safety.” 

[Photo: Facebook/ Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia]

“Based on the report received from the Royal Malaysian Air Force, the Ministry will issue a diplomatic note of protest against the intrusion to the Government of the People’s Republic of China,” the Malaysian foreign ministry threatened in a statement. It added, that the country will summon China’s ambassador to Malaysia to explain the incursion.

“Malaysia’s stand is clear – having friendly diplomatic relations with any countries does not mean that we will compromise our national security. Malaysia remains steadfast in defending our dignity and our sovereignty,” Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said in a statement.

[Credit:Royal Malaysian Air Force]

In response to the RMAF’s claims of Chinese planes violating Malaysian territorial airspace, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur spokesperson told a conference that the “activities are routine flight training of the Chinese air force and do not target any country”.“According to relevant international law, Chinese military aircraft enjoy the freedom of overflight in the relevant airspace,” he said, asserting that the airplanes had not entered into other country’s territorial airspace. RMAF said that the Chinese planes came 110 kilometers inside the airspace of the Malaysian part of Borneo. 

“Malaysia’s Royal Airforce detected suspicious movement of 16 Chinese Airforce aircraft in Malaysia’s Maritime Zone airspace in Kota Kinabalu Flight Information Region and were approaching the country’s airspace on May 31, 2021,” the RMAF said in a statement. Under the international law, coastal states have “complete sovereignty” over this airspace.

Chinese planes Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76

The Malaysian air force identified the Chinese planes as Russian-made Ilyushin Il-76 and Chinese-made Xian Y-20 – transport aircraft that flew into maritime zone airspace. But Chinese Embassy in Malaysia denied violation of international law saying that the Chinese planes were doing “routine flight training”, and “strictly abided” by the relevant international law.“According to relevant international law, Chinese military aircraft enjoy the freedom of overflight in the relevant airspace,” an embassy spokesperson said in a statement. Last year, the United States Air Force had suspected that China was planning to declare Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the airspace in the South China Sea. China and the smaller island nations including Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan have had overlapping territorial claims in the disputed region.

Advertisement

Published June 2nd, 2021 at 19:14 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo