INTERNATIONAL: A P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft was illuminated on Thursday while flying over Australia's northern approaches by a laser from a People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) vessel, potentially endangering lives, the defence department has said.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has accused Beijing of an 'act of intimidation' on Sunday, February 20, after a Chinese navy vessel has directed a laser at an Australian military surveillance aircraft last week.

Australia has raised the issue directly through the diplomatic and defence channels.

It’s the way Australia stands up to coercion and bullying and intimidation and threats . Australian Prime mInister Scott Morrison says it was a dangerous act. These sorts of things can disable such aircraft and put those on that aircraft at great risk. It was a reckless and irresponsible act. And Morrison says it should not occur.

Morrison has said his government will demand answers from Beijing.

The Chinese vessel was sailing east with another PLA-N ship through the Arafura Sea at the time of the incident, the department has said. The sea lies between the north coast of Australia and the south coast of New Guinea. The defence department has also said that both ships have since transited through the Torres Strait and were in the Coral Sea.

Relations between Australia and China, its top trade partner, have soured after Canberra has banned Huawei Technologies Company from its 5G broadband network in 2018, toughened laws against foreign political interference, and has urged an independent investigation into the origins of Covid-19.