A Dutch warship was harassed by Chinese military aircraft in the East China Sea on Friday, the Netherlands said, becoming the latest country to accuse Beijing’s forces of initiating potentially unsafe encounters in international waters.
In a statement Friday, the Dutch Defense Ministry said two Chinese fighter jets circled the frigate HNLMS Tromp several times, while its marine patrol helicopter was “approached” by two Chinese warplanes and a helicopter during a patrol.
“This created a potentially unsafe situation,” the statement said.
It’s international waters, but simultaneously you’re not allowed to fly in them? You’re not allowed to follow standard intercept procedures in them? I guess China could just claim the entire East China Sea under its ADIZ like the US did off the Pacific Coast and off the Aleutians, but China didn’t. ADIZ isn’t an internationally protected rule, anyway, so my understanding is that China only does the equivalent of ADIZ intercepts for operators it deems hostile instead of enforcing ADIZ rigidly.