Malaysia protests over Chinese military ‘intrusion’ in airspace

A Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft that Malaysian authorities said was in the airspace over Malaysia’s maritime zone near the coast of Sarawak state on Borneo island. (Royal Malaysian Air Force/AP)

Malaysia’s government will issue a diplomatic protest against an “intrusion” by 16 Chinese military aircraft into its airspace, the foreign minister said.

The country’s foreign minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that he will summon the Chinese ambassador to explain “this breach of the Malaysian airspace and sovereignty”.