Canadian military plane subjected to 'unsafe' Chinese intercepts, DND says
A Canadian military patrol plane was repeatedly intercepted by Chinese military aircraft while deployed to the Indo-Pacific region last month, just as Defence Minister Anita Anand was preparing to announce a significant increase to Canada's military presence in the region.
The intercepts, some of which were described as dangerous by the Department of National Defence, mark at least the second such cluster of interactions between the two countries' air forces since the fall.
The recent interactions between the Canadian maritime patrol plane and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force mostly "took place in a safe and professional manner," a spokesperson for the Department of National Defence said Monday, "however, some were deemed unsafe."
National Defence initially refused to confirm the intercepts in mid-May, citing security concerns as the CP-140 Aurora patrol plane, which had been deployed to Kadena Air Base in Japan, was still operating in the region.
But in a statement to CTV News on Saturday, the department confirmed the Chinese had intercepted the Canadian plane as it flew more than a dozen sorties as part of a multinational mission to enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea.
"When interactions are deemed unsafe, Canada addresses them directly with China through the appropriate channels," a National Defence spokesperson said.
The Chinese defence ministry did not respond to repeated requests for comment from CTV News.
The confirmation of the intercepts came on the same day that a Chinese navy vessel cut across the path of an American destroyer and a Canadian frigate in the Taiwan Strait, forcing the U.S. vessel to slow down to avoid a collision.
The U.S. military says the incident occurred as the USS Chung-Hoon and HMCS Montreal were conducting a so-called "freedom of navigation" transit in the strait between Taiwan and mainland China.
A statement Saturday from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command says the Chinese guided-missile destroyer overtook the U.S. ship, crossing its bow at 150 yards and forcing it to slow to 10 knots to avoid a collision, in violation of maritime rules for safe passage in international waters.
The interaction occurred as Canada's defence minister was in Singapore announcing a new military operation to replace the Asia-Pacific portion of Canada's existing Operation Projection.
The new Operation Horizon will see one additional warship deployed to the Indo-Pacific region from Canada's West Coast, starting this summer.
Canada will also increase its participation in international exercises and strengthen its relationships with regional security partners, Anand said.
"As we forge ahead with a strong, multidimensional approach [in] this important region, we will challenge China when we ought to, and we will cooperate when we can," National Defence said in a news release concluding the Singapore trip on Saturday.
"We will continue to work alongside allies and partners in the region to promote a stable, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women in Winnipeg, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.