Rebuke of fighter jet flare drop does little to deter aggression [Video]

Since the Albanese government came to power two years ago, its approach to China relations has been summed up by one word: stabilisation. But how stable are relations if China’s People’s Liberation Army is regularly putting the lives of Australian military personnel at risk?

Australian naval divers suffered minor injuries last November after being subjected to sonar pulses from a Chinese warship while supporting a United Nations mission in international waters. Their injuries could easily have been much worse. At the time, Anthony Albanese called China’s behaviour “dangerous, unsafe and unprofessional”, adding that Australia had lodged complaints through “all the forums that are available”.

However, as complaints go they appeared pretty muted. China’s ambassador to Australia was not called in for a rebuke, and the government minimised the fallout by withholding details of the incident until after …