A CLOSE encounter between Australian and Chinese military aircraft over the South China Sea has resulted in mutual accusations of provocative and dangerous behavior and raised many questions. Here is what we know — and what we need to know before drawing conclusions.

On June 5, the Australian Defense Department stated that 10 days earlier, on May 26, 'a Royal Australian Airforce (RAAF) P-8A maritime surveillance plane was intercepted by a Chinese J-16 fighter aircraft during a routine maritime surveillance activity in international airspace in the South China Sea region.' It concluded the statement by curiously saying that it 'would not be commenting further on this matter.'