Seoul [South Korea], June 10 : The Netherlands alleged that its warship HNLMS Tromp was confronted by the Chinese aircrafts while enforcing UN sanctions on North Korea.
The Dutch Defense Ministry claimed on Friday that two Chinese fighter jets flew around their frigate, HNLMS Tromp, multiple times, while one of their marine patrol helicopters was approached by two Chinese warplanes and a helicopter during a patrol in the East China Sea.
The statement mentioned the events created a "potentially unsafe situation." The Tromp was stationed in the East China Sea to support a multinational coalition enforcing UN sanctions on North Korea, called the Pacific Security Maritime Exchange (PSMX).
The Netherlands is now the latest addition to the long list of countries that have blamed China for its unsafe and threatening activities in international waters, CNN reported.
In the official statement, the Dutch defence ministry said, "In the East China Sea earlier today, two Chinese fighter jets circled the naval ship HNLMS Tromp several times. Additionally, the ship's NH90 maritime combat helicopter was approached by two Chinese fighter jets and a Chinese helicopter during a patrol. This created a potentially unsafe situation. The incident took place in international airspace".
Further, the ministry said, "HNLMS Tromp was conducting patrols in the East China Sea in support of a multinational UN coalition that oversees the enforcement of maritime sanctions against North Korea as defined in UN Security Council resolutions. The HNLMS Tromp continues its journey as part of 'Pacific Archer '24' as planned and is now on its way to Japan."
The CNN report on the incident claimed that it had reached the Chinese government for a comment on the Netherlands's accusations but had received no response.
Before patrolling in the East China Sea, the Dutch warship had stopped in Busan, South Korea, to participate in a maritime exercise with the South Korean navy.
Previously Australia had accused the Asian country's fighter jet of firing flares in the path of a naval helicopter destroyer HMAS Hobart in the international waters near the Yellow Sea when it was conducting patrols to enforce UN sanctions on North Korea.
However, China defended the actions of its fighter jets and straightaway rejected the interception as an unsafe one, the CNN report mentioned.
"Under the guise of implementing United Nations Security Council resolutions, Australian warships and aircraft deliberately approached China's airspace to cause trouble and provocation, endangering China's maritime and air security. As a warning, the Chinese military took necessary measures at the scene. Relevant operations are legal, compliant, professional and safe," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters at a regular briefing last month, the CNN report claimed.
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