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”.