Chinese maritime militia vessels are allegedly responsible for a series of laser attacks on Australian Navy pilots during a recent voyage through the South China Sea.
The Australian Defence Department is yet to comment publicly, but similar incidents involving lasers and the Chinese military have also been reported as far as Djibouti, where the US and China have bases.
Australian military officials believe the laser attacks on the Navy helicopters came from fishing boats, but it has not yet been formally confirmed if the vessels were Chinese flagged.