‘Dogfight': How China helped Pakistan shoot down Indian jets in mass air battle
Pakistan had reportedly shot down several Indian aircraft in the hours before using Chinese J-10C fighter jets.
'Our jet fighters … shot down three Indian Rafales, three Rafales [that] are French,' Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told parliament. 'Ours were J-10C.'
The Chinese delegation, roused from their sleep by the outbreak of conflict between two nuclear-armed nations, was thrilled with the success of the Pakistani defence, Dar said.
'Being a friendly nation, they expressed great happiness.'
India has not officially responded to reports that it lost as many as five fighters in the battle, which a Pakistani security source quoted by CNN described as a 'dogfight' involving more than 100 aircraft.
But the apparent involvement of Chinese-made aircraft in shooting down a Rafale has ricocheted through defence circles – and sent stock in its maker, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, surging by as much as 20 per cent.
Until now, Chinese weaponry had not been field-tested against Western-made systems like the Rafale. The Indian Air Force (IAF) operates a fleet of 36 Rafale F3Rs, the most advanced model of the aircraft.
A French intelligence source confirmed to CNN on Wednesday that at least one had been shot down, marking the first time a Rafale had been lost during combat.
In an official statement, China's Foreign Ministry said it was 'not familiar with the matter' when asked whether Chinese jets were involved in the skirmish.
Later on Thursday evening, a US official told Reuters that there was 'high confidence' that a J-10C had shot down two Indian fighters, using air-to-air missiles.
That appeared to confirm the aircraft's first known 'kill', having entered service in its earliest form in 2003. It has been described as a '4.5 generation fighter', like the British Eurofighter Typhoons and almost at the level of fifth generation systems like the US-made F-35.
Taiwan should be 'even more scared'
Hu Xijin, the former editor of the Chinese state-owned Global Times, said the battle showed that 'China's level of military manufacturing has completely surpassed that of Russia and France', adding that Taiwan should feel 'even more scared'.
Defence analysts remain cautious of reading too much into the technological battle between the two systems. Pilot error, or the rules of engagement, could have contributed to the Indian Rafale's demise.
'This is a very public demonstration of the prowess of Chinese military aerospace technologies'.
Fabian Hoffmann, Centre for European Policy Analysis
But open-source intelligence analysts are poring over images of the wreckage of a Chinese-made PL-15 missile, broadcast on Indian television and shared on social media.
The missile, which is carried by the J-10C, has never been used in combat before. But its ability to hit targets far beyond the visual range of pilots appears to fit with the outlines of the clash on Wednesday morning.
Neither Pakistani nor Indian aircraft crossed the border, engaging instead in a 'stand-off' conflict at a distance of more than 100 kilometres at times. The wreckage of a Rafale was discovered near the city of Bathinda deep inside India, according to multiple open-source analysts.
China's development of the PL-15 prompted the US military to invest in a missile specifically designed to outrange it.
The PL-15E, the version exported to the Pakistani armed forces, can travel up to 145 kilometres, somewhat less far than the domestic equivalent.
Chinese military observers have long viewed it as a 'very capable missile', said Fabian Hoffmann, a missile technology researcher and non-resident fellow of the Centre for European Policy Analysis.
'But obviously [if a hit is confirmed] this is now a very public demonstration of the prowess of Chinese military aerospace technologies' that 'carries outside the bubble'.
'This is another point of indication that, if there was a Taiwan conflict, you probably should not assume that Chinese technology would fail at the same rate as Russia's during the war in Ukraine.'
On April 29, with cross-border tensions rising, Pakistan's army published a YouTube video showcasing its military arsenal.
In the video, a Chinese-made JF-17 Block 3 fighter jet, less advanced than the J-10C, can be seen equipped with PL-15 missiles. The combination offers 'potent punch', a caption reads.
For pilots in the Pakistani Air Force, the PL-15 missile has several advantages. Once fired, it has a large rocket booster that briefly propels the projectile to above Mach 5, or hypersonic, speeds.
A dual-pulse motor means that, after the initial blast falls away, a second burst of speed can be generated within 10 or so kilometres from the target.
'Because they are very, very fast, they basically have what you call a 'no-escape zone',' Mr Hoffmann said.
Beijing 'delivers'
When India and Pakistan clash, so do their military backers. In recent years, the two nations have rapidly diverged in terms of where they source their weaponry, and Islamabad now buys the vast majority of its arms from China.
Some 82 per cent of imports between 2019 and 2023 came from its 'iron brother', according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which tracks global arms flows. Imports from the US, meanwhile, have collapsed.
At the same time, Delhi has stepped up arms purchases from Western allies and reduced its reliance on Russia. Since 2006, purchases from France, Israel and the US have surged. Imports from Moscow have fallen from 75 per cent of the total to 36 per cent, according to SIPRI.
'The big advantage the Pakistanis have is that their primary weapon supplier is China,' said Dr Walter Ladwig, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank.
Loading
'The Indian defence budget is bigger on paper, the modernisation budget is bigger.'
But Beijing 'delivers'. It has rapidly supplied Pakistan with armour, a jointly developed fighter jet (in the form of the JF-17 Block 3), and missile systems.
For various reasons, India's main suppliers, Russia and France (who provide 36 per cent and 33 per cent of imports respectively) have been slower to fulfil their orders, said Dr Ladwig.
India's Air Force is 'still operating these antiquated MiGs', he added.
China's Foreign Ministry has urged both sides to exercise restraint and avoid a full-scale war. But there will be some in Beijing hoping for further, explosive field tests.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Inside Australia's biggest war games, Exercise Talisman Sabre
It's a sweltering morning in the top end of Australia, where thousands of military personnel have swarmed Darwin's coastline for the nation's largest war games. Members of the US Coast Guard bring reporters through Darwin's turquoise waters off Larrakeyah Barracks on a fast ride through the security zone. There's chatter about the clear differences between how Australia and the US protect their coasts. Military vessels circle the water, a heavy presence as ordinary boaties cruise through. Further along the coast, a group of soldiers has set up to practise firing. There, they wait for civilian watercraft to pass through, the boaties seemingly unperturbed by the military. For many Darwin residents, the huge influx of armed forces to the region is not a surprise. And many of the troops have been here before. But some say this year's Talisman Sabre, the 11th iteration of the training exercise comprising mainly Australian Defence Personnel and members of the US military, is different. There's a bigger focus on 'the enemy'. Questions swirl in the political bubble about potential threats to Australia. Talisman Sabre kicked off as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Albanese has vowed not to back down on security measures, such as taking back control of the Port of Darwin, controversially leased by Chinese firm Landbridge. Uneasiness hangs in the air in Darwin as journalists ask defence commanders questions regarding China surveilling the war games. The Chinese have routinely monitored military training from afar in recent years. Royal Australian Air Force Commander Louise DesJardins tells a media pack that while the ADF keeps an eye on maritime approaches, 'at the moment we're not happy to discuss the surveillance'. The ADF consistently pushes the message that the war games are not, in fact, targeted at any particular country, and are more for maintaining peace. US Brigadier-General Shannon Smith, serving with one of Australia's steadfast allies, points to the massive scope of the region and what he says are the complexities of international relationships. 'I've seen nothing but a consistent messaging from our administration and our national defence strategy that we're committed to a rule-based order across the globe,' he says. But reporters ask the troops if they feel prepared for war. Many say they are. They acknowledge what they've learned in previous exercises, sometimes serving on 'attack' teams, other times in defence. This stifling day in Darwin, Mark Hazlett, a captain in the Australian Army's reserve 31st/42nd Battalion of the Royal Queensland Regiment, is serving in the 'enemy' team. For this exercise, both the attack and defence teams are operating in a fictitious country, 'Belesia'. Strategies employed are 'open source, obviously derived from our knowledge of the operation procedures and tactics from world actors', Hazlett says. His personnel are tasked with testing the contingencies of the defence team, who represent Australia and its allies. 'That includes having a look at the vulnerabilities, and trying to exploit those as enemy combatants,' he says. Soldiers get to practise detention, handling skills, vehicle checkpoints, and other tactics with personnel from the US, Britain and Canada. For the first time, the exercises have stretched to Papua New Guinea and Christmas Island. Back home, Hazlett is a sergeant with the Queensland Police Service based outside Cairns. He's been with the QPS for more than a decade. Many of the things he's done with the army reserves, however, are difficult to explain to the civilian world – like how to stop his hands trembling when he puts a detonator into a claymore mine. 'It's a nerve-racking thing as it is. You've always got that feeling you've got to ground yourself ... that's why you hold it like a cigarette,' he says. 'But being able to then roll that back and set it off, is an incredible experience ... you're training to be a real soldier. You are a real soldier.' Taine Waerea, a private who recently joined from Queensland, says he always wanted to wear the greens. Loading After months in uniform, he remembers setting up his first claymore. 'I'm an electrician ... I don't get to be trained in such weapons systems I get to be trained in here. I don't get to blow things up,' he laughs. As members of the 31st/42nd Battalion sit near the water for a brief break, Lance Corporal Selby Anderson and his sister Private Brooke Anderson, both train drivers in Queensland, reflect on their careers. For them, military service is personal – their grandfather served in the Royal Australian Navy in Vietnam aboard multiple ships. The pair talk of army helicopters and vehicles, but also giving back to the community. All those who spoke to this masthead are confident when they say Australia is prepared for any war. 'I'll leave the politics to the politicians,' Hazlett says. 'We get a set of orders, and we plan to those orders. For this, we plan to the tactics that we know. We train and we continue to train. 'We will hopefully continue to operate in peace time.'
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
Inside Australia's biggest war games, Exercise Talisman Sabre
It's a sweltering morning in the top end of Australia, where thousands of military personnel have swarmed Darwin's coastline for the nation's largest war games. Members of the US Coast Guard bring reporters through Darwin's turquoise waters off Larrakeyah Barracks on a fast ride through the security zone. There's chatter about the clear differences between how Australia and the US protect their coasts. Military vessels circle the water, a heavy presence as ordinary boaties cruise through. Further along the coast, a group of soldiers has set up to practise firing. There, they wait for civilian watercraft to pass through, the boaties seemingly unperturbed by the military. For many Darwin residents, the huge influx of armed forces to the region is not a surprise. And many of the troops have been here before. But some say this year's Talisman Sabre, the 11th iteration of the training exercise comprising mainly Australian Defence Personnel and members of the US military, is different. There's a bigger focus on 'the enemy'. Questions swirl in the political bubble about potential threats to Australia. Talisman Sabre kicked off as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Albanese has vowed not to back down on security measures, such as taking back control of the Port of Darwin, controversially leased by Chinese firm Landbridge. Uneasiness hangs in the air in Darwin as journalists ask defence commanders questions regarding China surveilling the war games. The Chinese have routinely monitored military training from afar in recent years. Royal Australian Air Force Commander Louise DesJardins tells a media pack that while the ADF keeps an eye on maritime approaches, 'at the moment we're not happy to discuss the surveillance'. The ADF consistently pushes the message that the war games are not, in fact, targeted at any particular country, and are more for maintaining peace. US Brigadier-General Shannon Smith, serving with one of Australia's steadfast allies, points to the massive scope of the region and what he says are the complexities of international relationships. 'I've seen nothing but a consistent messaging from our administration and our national defence strategy that we're committed to a rule-based order across the globe,' he says. But reporters ask the troops if they feel prepared for war. Many say they are. They acknowledge what they've learned in previous exercises, sometimes serving on 'attack' teams, other times in defence. This stifling day in Darwin, Mark Hazlett, a captain in the Australian Army's reserve 31st/42nd Battalion of the Royal Queensland Regiment, is serving in the 'enemy' team. For this exercise, both the attack and defence teams are operating in a fictitious country, 'Belesia'. Strategies employed are 'open source, obviously derived from our knowledge of the operation procedures and tactics from world actors', Hazlett says. His personnel are tasked with testing the contingencies of the defence team, who represent Australia and its allies. 'That includes having a look at the vulnerabilities, and trying to exploit those as enemy combatants,' he says. Soldiers get to practise detention, handling skills, vehicle checkpoints, and other tactics with personnel from the US, Britain and Canada. For the first time, the exercises have stretched to Papua New Guinea and Christmas Island. Back home, Hazlett is a sergeant with the Queensland Police Service based outside Cairns. He's been with the QPS for more than a decade. Many of the things he's done with the army reserves, however, are difficult to explain to the civilian world – like how to stop his hands trembling when he puts a detonator into a claymore mine. 'It's a nerve-racking thing as it is. You've always got that feeling you've got to ground yourself ... that's why you hold it like a cigarette,' he says. 'But being able to then roll that back and set it off, is an incredible experience ... you're training to be a real soldier. You are a real soldier.' Taine Waerea, a private who recently joined from Queensland, says he always wanted to wear the greens. Loading After months in uniform, he remembers setting up his first claymore. 'I'm an electrician ... I don't get to be trained in such weapons systems I get to be trained in here. I don't get to blow things up,' he laughs. As members of the 31st/42nd Battalion sit near the water for a brief break, Lance Corporal Selby Anderson and his sister Private Brooke Anderson, both train drivers in Queensland, reflect on their careers. For them, military service is personal – their grandfather served in the Royal Australian Navy in Vietnam aboard multiple ships. The pair talk of army helicopters and vehicles, but also giving back to the community. All those who spoke to this masthead are confident when they say Australia is prepared for any war. 'I'll leave the politics to the politicians,' Hazlett says. 'We get a set of orders, and we plan to those orders. For this, we plan to the tactics that we know. We train and we continue to train. 'We will hopefully continue to operate in peace time.'
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
'They don't feel safe; it's scary': Hunter's Tibetan community living in fear
The Hunter's Tibetan community is living in fear after hearing that Chinese Consul General Wang Yu was inquiring about their whereabouts during a recent visit to Newcastle. Mr Yu and his delegation asked about the local members of the persecuted community during a meeting with lord mayor Ross Kerridge and at lunch with union representatives last Thursday. China does not recognise Tibet's sovereignty and considers its community members to be political separatists. Many members of the Hunter's 170-strong Tibetan community endured persecution, imprisonment and torture at the hands of the Chinese government before arriving in Australia as part of humanitarian programs. Most still have family members in Tibet. Lobsang Lungtok, who lives in Newcastle, was tortured for 18 months in a detention camp after writing a poem criticising China's one-child policy in 1995. He said the news that Mr Yu had been asking questions about the local community was extremely concerning. "I have spoken to a lot of Tibetans who are saying, 'What's going on? Why are the Chinese here? They don't feel safe; it's scary," Mr Lungtok, the former president of the Newcastle Tibetan Community, said. "A lot of them are worried about their families back home." He said he suspected the growth of the Hunter's Tibetan community in recent years was of concern to Chinese officials. "We have been growing very fast. They (the Chinese government) probably think we are going to start a guerilla movement or something," he said. "We are peaceful people who wish to live quiet lives in Australia." Mr Lungtok, 50, arrived in Australia in 2001 after fleeing to India following his release from prison. He is married with a young family. He said his community was grateful for the support of the wider community, which included having Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon and lord mayor Ross Kerridge present at their celebration of the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday. However, he said the Australian government needed to be stronger in its defence of Tibet and its people. "We just saw the prime minister with the Chinese president walking on the Great Wall. He said 'this is a nice place, everyone is welcome'. Not everyone is welcome," he said. Mr Lungtok's most recent run-in with Chinese authorities was only last month when he was deported from China after attempting to visit his family. "They deported me back to Sydney Airport. If they wanted to kidnap someone it would be so easy to do it there," he said. Muswellbrook mayor Jeff Drayton said his Newcastle counterpart Ross Kerridge had no business speaking on behalf of other councils during his now-infamous meeting with the Chinese consul general. The meeting minutes show that as part of a discussion about the Hunter Region, Cr Kerridge said that one of the Hunter Joint Organisation's priorities was to transition away from coal mining. "LM (Lord Mayor) provided an overview of the JO strategy for transition out of coal in the Hunter Valley," the minutes say. Cr Drayton, said he was shocked Cr Kerridge had not consulted him before he spoke about the transition away from coal mining. "Forget how nave it is - a meet and greet with the Chinese discussing things like our region's role in defence, the local Tibetan community. When I saw in the minutes that the discussion turned to the Hunter, I couldn't believe it," Cr Drayton said. "On what planet does a Newcastle Lord Mayor offer views to China about the Hunter Joint Organisation - without a word to the other nine councils? Let alone Muswellbrook. "On what planet would he tell China the Hunter councils share a priority to, quote, 'transition out of coal mining'?" Cr Drayton said it was factually wrong to say that Muswellbrook or any other mining community had voluntarily chosen to move away from coal. "Mine closures are a commercially-driven challenge that our communities are counting on us to respond to - and believe me, we are. We have 12,000 jobs riding on it, across the Hunter, from pit to port. "To trot this out across the table from our main trading partner - even if he believes it, I'm not sure why he's felt the need to weigh in." The Hunter's Tibetan community is living in fear after hearing that Chinese Consul General Wang Yu was inquiring about their whereabouts during a recent visit to Newcastle. Mr Yu and his delegation asked about the local members of the persecuted community during a meeting with lord mayor Ross Kerridge and at lunch with union representatives last Thursday. China does not recognise Tibet's sovereignty and considers its community members to be political separatists. Many members of the Hunter's 170-strong Tibetan community endured persecution, imprisonment and torture at the hands of the Chinese government before arriving in Australia as part of humanitarian programs. Most still have family members in Tibet. Lobsang Lungtok, who lives in Newcastle, was tortured for 18 months in a detention camp after writing a poem criticising China's one-child policy in 1995. He said the news that Mr Yu had been asking questions about the local community was extremely concerning. "I have spoken to a lot of Tibetans who are saying, 'What's going on? Why are the Chinese here? They don't feel safe; it's scary," Mr Lungtok, the former president of the Newcastle Tibetan Community, said. "A lot of them are worried about their families back home." He said he suspected the growth of the Hunter's Tibetan community in recent years was of concern to Chinese officials. "We have been growing very fast. They (the Chinese government) probably think we are going to start a guerilla movement or something," he said. "We are peaceful people who wish to live quiet lives in Australia." Mr Lungtok, 50, arrived in Australia in 2001 after fleeing to India following his release from prison. He is married with a young family. He said his community was grateful for the support of the wider community, which included having Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon and lord mayor Ross Kerridge present at their celebration of the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday. However, he said the Australian government needed to be stronger in its defence of Tibet and its people. "We just saw the prime minister with the Chinese president walking on the Great Wall. He said 'this is a nice place, everyone is welcome'. Not everyone is welcome," he said. Mr Lungtok's most recent run-in with Chinese authorities was only last month when he was deported from China after attempting to visit his family. "They deported me back to Sydney Airport. If they wanted to kidnap someone it would be so easy to do it there," he said. Muswellbrook mayor Jeff Drayton said his Newcastle counterpart Ross Kerridge had no business speaking on behalf of other councils during his now-infamous meeting with the Chinese consul general. The meeting minutes show that as part of a discussion about the Hunter Region, Cr Kerridge said that one of the Hunter Joint Organisation's priorities was to transition away from coal mining. "LM (Lord Mayor) provided an overview of the JO strategy for transition out of coal in the Hunter Valley," the minutes say. Cr Drayton, said he was shocked Cr Kerridge had not consulted him before he spoke about the transition away from coal mining. "Forget how nave it is - a meet and greet with the Chinese discussing things like our region's role in defence, the local Tibetan community. When I saw in the minutes that the discussion turned to the Hunter, I couldn't believe it," Cr Drayton said. "On what planet does a Newcastle Lord Mayor offer views to China about the Hunter Joint Organisation - without a word to the other nine councils? Let alone Muswellbrook. "On what planet would he tell China the Hunter councils share a priority to, quote, 'transition out of coal mining'?" Cr Drayton said it was factually wrong to say that Muswellbrook or any other mining community had voluntarily chosen to move away from coal. "Mine closures are a commercially-driven challenge that our communities are counting on us to respond to - and believe me, we are. We have 12,000 jobs riding on it, across the Hunter, from pit to port. "To trot this out across the table from our main trading partner - even if he believes it, I'm not sure why he's felt the need to weigh in." The Hunter's Tibetan community is living in fear after hearing that Chinese Consul General Wang Yu was inquiring about their whereabouts during a recent visit to Newcastle. Mr Yu and his delegation asked about the local members of the persecuted community during a meeting with lord mayor Ross Kerridge and at lunch with union representatives last Thursday. China does not recognise Tibet's sovereignty and considers its community members to be political separatists. Many members of the Hunter's 170-strong Tibetan community endured persecution, imprisonment and torture at the hands of the Chinese government before arriving in Australia as part of humanitarian programs. Most still have family members in Tibet. Lobsang Lungtok, who lives in Newcastle, was tortured for 18 months in a detention camp after writing a poem criticising China's one-child policy in 1995. He said the news that Mr Yu had been asking questions about the local community was extremely concerning. "I have spoken to a lot of Tibetans who are saying, 'What's going on? Why are the Chinese here? They don't feel safe; it's scary," Mr Lungtok, the former president of the Newcastle Tibetan Community, said. "A lot of them are worried about their families back home." He said he suspected the growth of the Hunter's Tibetan community in recent years was of concern to Chinese officials. "We have been growing very fast. They (the Chinese government) probably think we are going to start a guerilla movement or something," he said. "We are peaceful people who wish to live quiet lives in Australia." Mr Lungtok, 50, arrived in Australia in 2001 after fleeing to India following his release from prison. He is married with a young family. He said his community was grateful for the support of the wider community, which included having Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon and lord mayor Ross Kerridge present at their celebration of the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday. However, he said the Australian government needed to be stronger in its defence of Tibet and its people. "We just saw the prime minister with the Chinese president walking on the Great Wall. He said 'this is a nice place, everyone is welcome'. Not everyone is welcome," he said. Mr Lungtok's most recent run-in with Chinese authorities was only last month when he was deported from China after attempting to visit his family. "They deported me back to Sydney Airport. If they wanted to kidnap someone it would be so easy to do it there," he said. Muswellbrook mayor Jeff Drayton said his Newcastle counterpart Ross Kerridge had no business speaking on behalf of other councils during his now-infamous meeting with the Chinese consul general. The meeting minutes show that as part of a discussion about the Hunter Region, Cr Kerridge said that one of the Hunter Joint Organisation's priorities was to transition away from coal mining. "LM (Lord Mayor) provided an overview of the JO strategy for transition out of coal in the Hunter Valley," the minutes say. Cr Drayton, said he was shocked Cr Kerridge had not consulted him before he spoke about the transition away from coal mining. "Forget how nave it is - a meet and greet with the Chinese discussing things like our region's role in defence, the local Tibetan community. When I saw in the minutes that the discussion turned to the Hunter, I couldn't believe it," Cr Drayton said. "On what planet does a Newcastle Lord Mayor offer views to China about the Hunter Joint Organisation - without a word to the other nine councils? Let alone Muswellbrook. "On what planet would he tell China the Hunter councils share a priority to, quote, 'transition out of coal mining'?" Cr Drayton said it was factually wrong to say that Muswellbrook or any other mining community had voluntarily chosen to move away from coal. "Mine closures are a commercially-driven challenge that our communities are counting on us to respond to - and believe me, we are. We have 12,000 jobs riding on it, across the Hunter, from pit to port. "To trot this out across the table from our main trading partner - even if he believes it, I'm not sure why he's felt the need to weigh in." The Hunter's Tibetan community is living in fear after hearing that Chinese Consul General Wang Yu was inquiring about their whereabouts during a recent visit to Newcastle. Mr Yu and his delegation asked about the local members of the persecuted community during a meeting with lord mayor Ross Kerridge and at lunch with union representatives last Thursday. China does not recognise Tibet's sovereignty and considers its community members to be political separatists. Many members of the Hunter's 170-strong Tibetan community endured persecution, imprisonment and torture at the hands of the Chinese government before arriving in Australia as part of humanitarian programs. Most still have family members in Tibet. Lobsang Lungtok, who lives in Newcastle, was tortured for 18 months in a detention camp after writing a poem criticising China's one-child policy in 1995. He said the news that Mr Yu had been asking questions about the local community was extremely concerning. "I have spoken to a lot of Tibetans who are saying, 'What's going on? Why are the Chinese here? They don't feel safe; it's scary," Mr Lungtok, the former president of the Newcastle Tibetan Community, said. "A lot of them are worried about their families back home." He said he suspected the growth of the Hunter's Tibetan community in recent years was of concern to Chinese officials. "We have been growing very fast. They (the Chinese government) probably think we are going to start a guerilla movement or something," he said. "We are peaceful people who wish to live quiet lives in Australia." Mr Lungtok, 50, arrived in Australia in 2001 after fleeing to India following his release from prison. He is married with a young family. He said his community was grateful for the support of the wider community, which included having Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon and lord mayor Ross Kerridge present at their celebration of the Dalai Lama's 90th birthday. However, he said the Australian government needed to be stronger in its defence of Tibet and its people. "We just saw the prime minister with the Chinese president walking on the Great Wall. He said 'this is a nice place, everyone is welcome'. Not everyone is welcome," he said. Mr Lungtok's most recent run-in with Chinese authorities was only last month when he was deported from China after attempting to visit his family. "They deported me back to Sydney Airport. If they wanted to kidnap someone it would be so easy to do it there," he said. Muswellbrook mayor Jeff Drayton said his Newcastle counterpart Ross Kerridge had no business speaking on behalf of other councils during his now-infamous meeting with the Chinese consul general. The meeting minutes show that as part of a discussion about the Hunter Region, Cr Kerridge said that one of the Hunter Joint Organisation's priorities was to transition away from coal mining. "LM (Lord Mayor) provided an overview of the JO strategy for transition out of coal in the Hunter Valley," the minutes say. Cr Drayton, said he was shocked Cr Kerridge had not consulted him before he spoke about the transition away from coal mining. "Forget how nave it is - a meet and greet with the Chinese discussing things like our region's role in defence, the local Tibetan community. When I saw in the minutes that the discussion turned to the Hunter, I couldn't believe it," Cr Drayton said. "On what planet does a Newcastle Lord Mayor offer views to China about the Hunter Joint Organisation - without a word to the other nine councils? Let alone Muswellbrook. "On what planet would he tell China the Hunter councils share a priority to, quote, 'transition out of coal mining'?" Cr Drayton said it was factually wrong to say that Muswellbrook or any other mining community had voluntarily chosen to move away from coal. "Mine closures are a commercially-driven challenge that our communities are counting on us to respond to - and believe me, we are. We have 12,000 jobs riding on it, across the Hunter, from pit to port. "To trot this out across the table from our main trading partner - even if he believes it, I'm not sure why he's felt the need to weigh in."
