China has issued a warning to the Netherlands following a complaint from NATO about Chinese fighter jets bothering one of its ships in international waters.
The incident occurred last Friday while the HNLMS Tromp was patrolling in the Dutch seas. The Dutch Defense Ministry clarified that the patrols were part of the UN Security Council’s sanctions against North Korea in the East China Sea.
Reports indicate that two Chinese fighter jets circled the area, and a Chinese helicopter, along with two warplanes, intercepted the Dutch frigate’s NH90 helicopter, creating an unsafe situation.
This event echoes a similar occurrence last month when a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) fighter jet fired flares at an Australian helicopter enforcing U.N. sanctions. The U.S. Department of Defense noted over 280 Chinese aircraft interceptions by the U.S. or its allies since 2021.
China’s Defense Ministry spokesperson, Zhang Xiaogang, accused Amsterdam of trying to mask its infringements on China’s marine rights, by falsely claiming U.N. missions and displaying force in other nations’ airspace and waters.
Zhang mentioned that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Command had issued warnings and dispatched fighters to remove the Dutch from the region, condemning their actions. A formal diplomatic complaint was lodged by China.
China’s spokesperson urged the Netherlands to restrict their air and <a href="https://newslivecenter.com/tag/navy/”>naval forces and vowed to “resolutely respond” to any provocation.
The Dutch Defense Ministry clarified that the HNLMS Tromp, named “Pacific Archer ’24,” on a six-month deployment worldwide, had traveled from Australia to Japan.
On Tuesday, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force shared images on social media of the Dutch frigate engaging in a joint drill with the Japanese frigate Akebono.
Beijing typically reacts strongly to military actions within its vicinity, especially by extraregional countries.