Beijing blames ‘provocative move’ for helicopter flare incident

A top US diplomat says Beijing’s harassment of foreign militaries is increasingly “aggressive and assertive” and putting lives at risk, as China claimed an Australian helicopter was flying in a “threatening way” when a fighter jet dropped flares in its path at the weekend.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would complain personally to the Chinese premier about the near miss, and China’s foreign ministry said it had lodged a counter-protest.