Defence Minister Richard Marles says it was a "very dangerous incident" which put lives at risk when a Chinese military jet intercepted an Australian aircraft last month
Mr Marles discussed details of the incident between a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft and a Chinese military jet in the South China Sea region.
The Defence Department released a statement on Sunday to announce a P-8 plane was intercepted by a jet during "routine maritime surveillance" in international airspace.
"What our aircraft was doing during that incident was the kind of routine work that we've done over the course of decades," Mr Marles told Sky News Australia.
"We were within our rights at international law."
Mr Marles said what took place was a "very dangerous incident".
He said the RAAF aircraft "was put at risk".
"And lives were put at risk."
Mr Marles discussed details of the incident between a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft and a Chinese military jet in the South China Sea region.
The Defence Department released a statement on Sunday to announce a P-8 plane was intercepted by a jet during "routine maritime surveillance" in international airspace.
"What our aircraft was doing during that incident was the kind of routine work that we've done over the course of decades," Mr Marles told Sky News Australia.
"We were within our rights at international law."
Mr Marles said what took place was a "very dangerous incident".
He said the RAAF aircraft "was put at risk".
"And lives were put at risk."
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