China demand that Netherlands ensure restraint of armed forces in air and at sea

By Alimat Aliyeva

The command of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA) demanded that the Armed Forces of the Netherlands ensure restraint of the air and naval forces of this European country, since the PLA will take decisive measures in response to their provocations.

This statement was made by the official representative of the Ministry of Defense of the People's Republic of China Zhang Xiaogang, Azernews reports.

"We have instructed the Dutch side to strictly restrain the actions of its Air Force and Navy. China will certainly respond with decisive countermeasures to infringement of rights and provocations," the statement posted on the Chinese department's page on the WeChat social network said.

Thus, the official representative commented on the information distributed by the Dutch Ministry of Defense that on June 7, two fighter jets and a PLA helicopter approached a helicopter carrying a Dutch Navy frigate of the Tromp type in international airspace in the East China Sea, and thereby "created an unsafe situation." This ship allegedly carried out a mission to monitor the implementation of the UN Security Council resolution on sanctions against the DPRK.

According to Zhang Xiaogang, the Dutch side distorted the events and hid the fact that its helicopter "infringed on [China's] rights and committed a provocation" east of Shanghai. As a result, the Eastern Zone of the PLA Combat Command sent a voice warning and took action to oust the Dutch flight vehicle.

"This was done reasonably and legally, professionally throughout the entire process," the official representative stressed. "It was the Dutch side that created an unsafe situation by demonstrating force in the sea and airspace under the jurisdiction of another country."

According to Zhang Xiaogang, China expresses strong dissatisfaction with the statement and actions of the Netherlands, and has already made a serious presentation to them. He noted that by doing so, the Dutch side created tension, damaging relations between the two countries. "The Chinese army always maintains a high level of combat readiness, resolutely protects the national sovereignty and security of its country, its rights and interests at sea," the official representative stressed.