Australia monitors Chinese military ships traversing waters off its coast
Australia is closely monitoring Chinese military ships traversing waters off its coast, according to Richard Marles, Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense. In an interview on Sky News Australia, Marles noted that the ships have been abiding by international law, describing the situation as “not unprecedented, but an unusual event.”
While acknowledging that the ships have the right to be located in international waters, Marles emphasized that Australia has the right to surveil the ships. The Australian Department of Defense released a statement on February 13 confirming the presence of a People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) task group operating to the northeast of Australia. The task group includes the PLA-N Jiangkai-class frigate named Hengyang, the PLA-N Renhai cruiser named Zunyi, and the PLA-N Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu.
The Financial Times reported that Australia’s navy had been shadowing China’s vessels 150 nautical miles east of Sydney. New Zealand’s military was also monitoring China’s vessels in coordination with Australia, as indicated by New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins.
Collins stated that they have not been informed by the Chinese government about the reason for deploying the task group into the region or their future plans. The Australian Defense Department reported an incident where a Chinese fighter plane released flares near a Royal Australian Air Force aircraft during a routine maritime surveillance patrol in the South China Sea.
The unsafe and unprofessional interaction posed a risk to the aircraft and personnel, but fortunately, there were no injuries. The Australian Defense Force continues to monitor the situation closely. It is essential to stay vigilant and ensure the safety and security of all personnel involved in such incidents.
