China Intercepts Dutch Chopper near Shanghai, Lambasts the Netherlands for Provocation

People’s Liberation Army fighter jets escorted a Dutch helicopter that violated Chinese airspace under the auspice of a UN mission. Beijing warned the Netherlands to avoid such incidents in the future.

The Dutch military has created a dangerous situation in the East China Sea after using a UN mission as a cover-up, Chinese Ministry of Defense representative Zhang Xiaogang has said.

He added that Beijing urges the Netherlands to limit any activities of their armed forces in the region and vowed decisive counter-measures in response to provocations near China’s territory.

The statement came in response to Amsterdam saying that one People’s Liberation Army helicopter and two fighter jets had approached a helicopter assigned to a Dutch frigate in the East China Sea.

The Dutch claimed that the incident happened in international airspace and that the vessel was overseeing the implementation of a UN Security Council resolution on North Korea sanctions. Beijing debunked these claims, explaining that the helicopter assigned to the Tromp-class frigate of the Royal Netherlands Navy entered its airspace east of Shanghai.