<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has raised concerns about a recent unsafe military encounter with China, saying the message has been "heard".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A Chinese plane deployed two flares dangerously close to a Royal Australian Air Force surveillance aircraft in the South China Sea on October 19, which Defence Minister Richard Marles labelled an "unsafe and unprofessional" manoeuvre that posed a risk to people on board.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Albanese said he raised the incident during a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, the country's second-highest ranking leader, on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia this morning.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/barnaby-joyce-snubs-the-nationals-but-insists-he-remains-a-member/6b820a61-5cb5-4dd0-9e6f-51afd9fc82de" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Barnaby Joyce snubs the Nationals but insists he remains a member of the party - for now</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We have disagreements, and friends are able to discuss issues frankly. I did that. I did that directly," Albanese told reporters in Kuala Lumpur today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"That's what we're able to do. It's important that we engage and that we engage diplomatically, that we make clear our position, which I did directly, which we did when the incident occurred.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"He heard the message very directly."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/anthony-albanese-raises-military-encounter-during-meeting-with-chinese-premier-li-qiang-asean-summit/0384c559-99f5-48e5-8341-289caf7ac72e" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The prime minister would not say how Li responded to the incident.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'm not here to report on what people say when I have meetings. I'm accountable for what I say," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"And I made the position directly clear that this was an incident of concern for Australia."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/iran-australia-sardar-amar-israel-benjamin-netanyahu/97399c0b-24da-4610-bf6a-84360867772b" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Israel names man it believes is behind antisemitic attacks in Australia</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Albanese's meeting with Li was described as positive, as the pair focused on advancing their interests and relationship. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is a relationship that has improved, that is stabilising. It's a relationship that's important for Australian jobs. It's as simple as that," he said, adding that China is Australia's largest trading partner.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I've said repeatedly we must cooperate where we can, disagree where we must, but engage in our national interest."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>China brushed off the military incident, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun telling a reporter who asked about it that "I'm not aware of what you mentioned".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Chinese Senior Colonel Li Jianjian later accused Australia of illegally entering Chinese airspace over the Paracel, or Xisha, Islands without permission.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Australia's actions seriously infringe upon China's sovereignty and are highly likely to lead to maritime and air incidents," Li said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/finance/australia-economy-2026-outlook-oxford-economics-report/5fec4592-2192-49a6-b46b-97d50a12d858" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>New financial 'pain' coming for Aussies - but there's a silver lining</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We urge Australia to immediately cease its infringing and provocative actions."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Beijing claims the South China Sea as part of its territory despite an international tribunal ruling against any legal basis to its claim of the region in 2016.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Marles insisted that the aircraft was conducting a "routine maritime surveillance patrol" in international airspace and over international waters.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Every moment, our crew was adhering to international law, let me be really clear about that," he said in response to China's accusation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"What occurred on two occasions with the release of those flares being as close as they were, were unsafe and unprofessional."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Earlier this year, there was a similar incident when a Chinese aircraft dropped flares within 30 metres of an Australian plane in the South China Sea. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><strong><span>Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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