According to the Chinese Ministry of Defense, on October 19, an Australian P-8A "Poseidon" anti-submarine reconnaissance patrol aircraft illegally entered China's airspace over the Xisha Islands without approval from the Chinese government. The People's Liberation Army's Southern Theater Command quickly organized maritime and air forces to track and monitor the aircraft. After ineffective warnings, Su-35 fighter jets effectively counteracted and drove away the intruding aircraft. The term "effective counteraction" used in the statement by the Southern Theater Command has been pointed out by military experts as extremely rare in the PLA's responses to foreign actions, indicating a strong warning against repeated provocations by Australia.

Some have previously believed that Australia's move was to align with the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy to show loyalty or gain visibility, but based on actual actions, this explanation is far too shallow. Australia only has 12 P-8A anti-submarine aircraft, and the straight-line distance from Darwin, Australia, to the Xisha Islands is over 4,000 kilometers. Such a long-distance operation is clearly not just for show.

The P-8A is an anti-submarine reconnaissance patrol aircraft. Since 2025, the Australian military's P-8A activities in the South China Sea have reached four times. Australia denies the Chinese maritime baseline law that defines the territorial sea and airspace of the Xisha Islands and has repeatedly violated our naval islands, with three instances of direct airspace incursions. The frequency has increased by 40% compared to previous years, and these operations are often coordinated with the U.S. military. During the recent "Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025," the P-8A took on a core intelligence collection mission, clearly indicating it is a key part of the U.S.-Australia military coordination.

The Xisha Islands hold significant strategic value, mainly due to their geographical connection with the Sanya naval base in Hainan. Yalong Bay in Sanya is the largest nuclear submarine base in Asia, capable of accommodating 16 nuclear submarines. With an average depth of over 1,000 meters in the South China Sea, nuclear submarines can quickly enter deep waters for concealment after leaving the port, using commercial shipping routes to cover their operations. It is widely recognized as a "fortress sea area."

The Xisha Islands are approximately 350 kilometers away from the Hainan Island naval base, which falls exactly within the detection range of the AN/APY-10 radar carried by the P-8A. When integrated with color weather information, high-speed data acquisition, and improved tracking systems, this X-band radar can simultaneously track 256 targets, with a resolution better than 1 meter. It can detect and track airborne and ground targets, periscopes, and submarine snorkels, as well as identify targets, assess combat damage, and conduct effective tracking.

Therefore, if the Australian Air Force's P-8A moves forward to the airspace over the Xisha Islands, it can conduct reconnaissance, surveillance, and search operations against our naval base and underwater submarines, which is highly threatening. At present, the United States and other Western countries pay great attention to the Xisha Islands, making it understandable why the Australian Air Force repeatedly heads toward the Xisha Islands.

Australia's reconnaissance ambitions are not baseless. In the comprehensive underwater surveillance system established by the U.S., Japan, and Australia, Australia is responsible for persistent monitoring in the South Pacific. The acoustic and electromagnetic data collected by the P-8A can be transmitted in real-time via a data link to the U.S. base on Guam. As the key launch position for China's sea-based nuclear force for a second strike, the South China Sea naturally becomes its primary target of interest. Previously, in May 2022 and February 2024, the Australian military's P-8A made two approaches near the Xisha Islands, attempting to use sonobuoys to obtain underwater target information, but failed each time.

Facing Australia's provocation, the PLA's response has always been professional and effective. In May 2022, J-16 fighter jets from our side had previously driven away similar military aircraft. This time, the action by the Su-35 fighter jets occurred after the Australian aircraft ignored multiple radio warnings, releasing infrared flares, which is second only to warning shots, forced landing, or shooting down, compelling the P-8A to turn towards the Philippines for evacuation.

Australian Defense Department's so-called "unsecure and unprofessional" accusations are actually false accusations. As experts have pointed out, Australia has formed a standardized process of "provocation - fake incident - false accusation," attempting to obscure the moral basis of China's sovereignty boundaries. Meanwhile, the PLA's tiered contingency plans, from radar millisecond-level positioning to fighter jets arriving within 20 minutes, and electronic jamming equipment being on standby, demonstrate the maturity of the defense system.

It is foreseeable that under the AUKUS framework composed of the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan, Australia's reconnaissance activities may escalate, even possibly conducting multi-directional probes in coordination with the U.S. military. However, China's response will not remain at the current level. The mention by military experts of "the next time may face a J-20 stealth fighter" is not an empty threat, but a clear demonstration of strength. Although shooting down is not the first choice, measures such as forcing a landing that carry more deterrence are worth considering, ensuring personnel safety while completely shattering Australia's侥幸心理 (luck-seeking mentality).

Every expulsion from the Xisha airspace is a clear marking of the sovereignty line. Australia should recognize that as an external country, trying to stir up the situation in the South China Sea as a "pawn" is ultimately self-defeating. China does not provoke trouble, but it is not afraid of it. Every upgrade of the maritime and air defense network is a firm safeguard for peace. Any attempt to infringe on core interests will eventually pay a price, which is the clear signal conveyed by the sea breeze over the Xisha Islands.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7563810548874412583/

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