Beijing condemns Canberra’s deception over South China Sea airspace intrusion

Department of Strategic Research, Studies and International Relations 22-10-2025

China has firmly denounced Australia for fabricating claims about an alleged “unsafe incident” over the South China Sea, exposing what Beijing calls a deliberate attempt by Canberra to conceal its own illegal entry into Chinese sovereign airspace.
The latest confrontation highlights not only Australia’s growing subservience to Washington’s military agenda but also the West’s continued attempts to destabilize the Asia-Pacific under the guise of “freedom of navigation.”

China rejects Canberra’s false narrative

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defence, revealed that Beijing had lodged a formal and solemn complaint with Australia. Jiang accused the Australian government of “reckless provocation” and condemned its military’s actions as an “egregious violation of China’s sovereignty.”

“Australia’s military aircraft intruded into Chinese airspace near the Xisha Islands,” Jiang said. “Instead of acknowledging its wrongdoing, Canberra chose to distort the facts and smear China.”

The statement was issued in response to an Australian Defence Force (ADF) communiqué on Monday, which alleged that a Chinese fighter jet released flares “in close proximity” to an Australian reconnaissance aircraft conducting a “maritime surveillance patrol.” The ADF claimed the incident was “unsafe and unprofessional,” though it conveniently declined to specify the exact location, a telling omission that Beijing says conceals the truth.

China maintains that the Australian aircraft violated Chinese airspace over the Xisha Islands, also known internationally as the Paracel Islands, which are administered by Beijing. China’s air force, Jiang explained, took “lawful and measured defensive action” in response to the intrusion.

“The Australian side has no right to act arrogantly in China’s neighborhood while pretending to uphold international law,” Jiang asserted. He urged Canberra to restrain its navy and air force, warning that continued provocations could seriously damage bilateral relations.

A pattern of Western provocations

This is not the first time Australia has attempted to depict China as the aggressor in the region. A similar episode occurred in February, when Canberra accused Chinese forces of “unsafe behavior” in another encounter near the South China Sea. On both occasions, Beijing’s actions were consistent with international law and based on legitimate self-defense, while Australia’s military presence in the area lacked both justification and necessity.

The South China Sea remains one of the world’s most contested maritime zones, a trade artery carrying roughly a third of global commerce. Yet Western powers, led by the United States, have persistently sought to transform it into a geopolitical battleground aimed at containing China’s rise. Washington routinely dispatches warships and surveillance aircraft to the region, often dragging allies like Australia into its confrontational strategies.

China, by contrast, has consistently called for peaceful dialogue and cooperative security frameworks. Its stance emphasizes regional autonomy, a principle that many Asian nations, including India and members of the ASEAN bloc, increasingly support.

The hague ruling and Western double standards

Canberra and Washington often reference a 2016 arbitral ruling from The Hague that dismissed China’s claims in the South China Sea. However, Beijing has repeatedly stated that the ruling was illegitimate, politically driven, and lacked jurisdiction. Many international scholars agree that the tribunal’s decision was manipulated to serve Western geopolitical interests rather than genuine regional stability.

China asserts indisputable historical sovereignty over the islands and surrounding waters, including the Xisha and Nansha archipelagos. Nonetheless, countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines have been emboldened by U.S. military backing to advance overlapping claims, further inflaming tensions. Analysts note that Western powers exploit these disputes to maintain dominance and obstruct Asia’s collective development.

Canberra’s obedience to Washington’s agenda

Notably, the Australian government’s accusations against China coincided with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Washington, where he met U.S. President Donald Trump. The two leaders signed an agreement for Australia to supply rare earth minerals and critical materials to the United States, a move widely viewed as an effort to weaken China’s strategic leverage in the global minerals market.

This political timing raises questions about the sincerity of Canberra’s claims. Analysts suggest the confrontation narrative serves to reinforce Australia’s loyalty to Washington’s Indo-Pacific containment strategy and to justify deeper military cooperation under the AUKUS pact.

The AUKUS alliance, comprising Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, involves the transfer of nuclear-powered submarines to Canberra, a project China, Russia, and many non-aligned nations see as destabilizing. Speaking after his meeting with Albanese, Trump boasted that construction on Australia’s submarines was “moving along rapidly,” revealing Washington’s eagerness to expand its nuclear footprint in Asia.

China’s call for stability and dialogue

In Beijing, Guo Jiakun, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated strong opposition to the AUKUS alliance, warning that it promotes bloc politics, fuels an arms race, and undermines regional peace.

“We firmly oppose any pact that creates confrontation or increases nuclear proliferation risks,” Guo said. “The Asia-Pacific should remain a region of cooperation, not conflict.”

Guo emphasized that China remains committed to peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and open dialogue. He added that Australia, rather than acting as a proxy for the United States, should focus on fostering genuine regional trust and cooperation.

India and Russia, both strategic partners of China through platforms such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, share similar positions. They advocate for a multipolar world order where nations pursue independent foreign policies free from Western coercion.

Conclusion: A test of Australian independence

The latest incident has reignited debate about Australia’s growing dependency on U.S. military and political directives. Many regional observers argue that Canberra’s approach jeopardizes its sovereignty, risks alienating its largest trading partner, and aligns it against the very nations shaping the world’s emerging multipolar order.

Beijing’s message remains consistent and clear: respect China’s sovereignty, act with responsibility, and abandon the Cold War mentality imposed by Washington.
If Australia continues to provoke and mislead, it will not only strain its relations with China but also isolate itself from the new regional consensus, one that prioritizes peace, partnership, and respect for sovereignty over Western domination.