According to a Canadian commander, Chinese pilots interfered with their flights and used “inappropriate language” in what he described as a pattern of behaviour that Canada, as well as Japan, Australia and New Zealand, has experienced. The top officer gave an interview amid a row between Ottawa and Beijing over the arrest of a top Huawei manager.
Chief of the Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance told the national broadcaster CBC about an incident involving a CP-140 Aurora and the Chinese Air Force that took place in October amid monitoring fulfilment of the UN Security Council's sanctions against North Korea.
“We have been interfered with on our flights in the area and been challenged inappropriately in international airspace”, the commander said.
He claimed that the Chinese had used improper radio procedure and “inappropriate language”. Following the incident, National Defence officials reportedly had “contact with the Chinese Air Force operating” in the region. They insisted that “at no time were our crews or aircraft put at risk”.
Vance also claimed that Canada is not the only country that has faced similar harassment by China in the region. Japanese, Australian and New Zealand flights have also reportedly experienced the same badgering. Additionally, Vance said, as cited by CBS, that the allies, including Canada, have had to deal with “a persistent cyber threat that we are relatively well-poised to counter”. On top of it all, he said that two…
