A fighter bomber attached to a naval aviation brigade under the PLA Northern Theater Command pierces into the stratosphere through clouds and mist during a round-the-clock flight training exercise in late July. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Li Mingxi and Liu Xuhong)

 

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) lawfully repelled a Dutch naval vessel-based helicopter when it conducted infringing provocations near Shanghai last week, a spokesperson from the Chinese Ministry of National Defense said on Tuesday. 

The Netherlands' provocative action against China was instigated by the US, and the PLA will respond with necessary measures, experts said.

A vessel-based helicopter from the HNLMS Tromp, a Dutch naval frigate, conducted infringing provocations to the east of Shanghai on Friday, and the PLA Eastern Theater Command took measures such as issuing verbal warnings and launching military aircraft sorties to repel it, said Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesperson from China's Ministry of National Defense.

The Chinese move was completely lawful and reasonable, with a professional and standardized approach throughout the entire operation, Zhang Xiaogang said. He stressed that it was the Netherlands, not China, that was responsible for creating an unsafe situation.  

The statement by Zhang Xiaogang came in response to a recent statement posted on the website of the Dutch Defense Ministry accusing China of creating a potentially unsafe situation. 

The Dutch Defense Ministry claimed that two Chinese fighter jets circled the naval ship HNLMS Tromp several times in the East China Sea on Friday, and the ship's NH90 maritime combat helicopter was approached by two Chinese fighter jets and a Chinese helicopter during a patrol.

"We are strongly dissatisfied with the vile nature of the Dutch side's words and deeds, and have lodged solemn representations with them," Zhang Xiaogang said.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that the East China Sea is on China's doorstep, and it is completely legitimate for the Chinese military to dispatch ships and aircraft to conduct monitoring and surveillance, which is thoroughly in line with the international law and practice.

In recent years, the US-led West has frequently hyped the "unsafe" approaches of Chinese vessels and aircraft. The Netherlands has sent warships all the way to the Asia-Pacific region under the instigations of the US, and they have participated in various US-led military exercises and patrols in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and other waters around China to flex their muscles, observers said.

This demonstrates that the Netherlands has become a pawn of the US to curb China, provoking China to collaborate with the US," Zhang Junshe said.

The Dutch warship is only crafting a publicity stunt, and poses no essential threat, another Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Such provocations aim at making political statements, and have little military significance, the expert said.