US Congress investigates diversion of sensitive F-35 parts to Hong Kong: report

The United States Congress has reportedly launched a probe after a shipment of sensitive F-35 fighter jet parts was said to have been unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong and went missing, with the city’s authorities declining to comment on the case.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong government said over the weekend that it would not comment on individual cases, a day after US media outlet Politico published the report.

Citing three anonymous sources, Politico said the F-35 parts were shipped from Australia to the United States for repairs and were diverted to Hong Kong as they transited the Pacific Ocean this summer.

The Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office confirmed it was “aware of a shipment issue of unserviceable F-35 Lightning II components”, saying it was working with US authorities and industry partners “to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence”.