Official announcements from the Dutch and Chinese governments

China and Netherlands Clash Over June 7 Naval Incident Involving HNLMS Tromp Near Shanghai

Jun 11, 2024, 10:02 AM

A helicopter from the Dutch frigate HNLMS Tromp conducted what China described as 'infringing provocations' near Shanghai on June 7. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Eastern Theater Command responded by issuing verbal warnings and deploying military aircraft to repel the helicopter. The Chinese Defense Ministry condemned the incident as 'heinous' and accused the Netherlands of creating unsafe conditions. In contrast, the Dutch Defense Ministry claimed that Chinese fighter jets had approached their ship unsafely in the East China Sea during a North Korea sanctions patrol. The incident has led to heightened tensions between the two nations, with China warning the Netherlands to restrain its naval and air forces and threatening firm countermeasures against any further provocations. Chinese Ministry of Defense representative Zhang Xiaogang criticized the Dutch actions.