Hong Kong authorities decline to comment on report that US fighter jet parts diverted to city

Hong Kong authorities have chosen not to comment on a report claiming that parts for the F-35 fighter jets, a top-secret US aircraft under Chinese surveillance, were rerouted to the city. Politico recently revealed that a shipment of US-bound F-35 components flying from Australia in the summer somehow ended up in Hong Kong, according to unnamed sources.

The potential breach has prompted an investigation by the US government, driven by fears that China might obtain access to the highly confidential weapon system, as reported by the US news outlet.

The Hong Kong government spokesperson declared that they would "not comment on individual incidents." Politico revealed that the parts, which included an F-35 canopy, were being handled by a middleman on behalf of the F-35 manufacturer, Lockheed Martin. The sources informed Politico that the canopies contain technology exclusive to the US and its allies.

The US House committee responsible for overseeing armed services is currently examining the incident, a spokesperson for the committee confirmed. "The committee is aware of this issue and we’ve received multiple briefings on it," the spokesperson stated. The F-35 project is overseen by the US government’s F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, which includes US allies such as the UK, Australia, and Canada among its partners.

In 2022, China's foreign ministry spokesperson asserted that China "has no interest in the [US's] aircraft."