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The Australian Navy is covering Chinese warships 150 nautical miles east of Sydney, and China’s farthest navy has sailed along Australia’s eastern coast.
Two Australian ships are focusing on a Chinese naval mission team, including two warships and a supply ship – which appeared on Australia’s northeast coast a week ago, according to people familiar with the situation.
One said the Chinese Navy sailed so far off Australia’s east coast was “unprecedented” and stressed that Beijing was normalizing its projection of power beyond the first Pacific Island chain, which ran from Japan to Indonesia and the first Two island chains, this is the second island chain from Japan to Guam all the way to Micronesia.
Charles Edel said: “As Chinese test their ability to project southward, the question is how much risk they can take except the East and the West – how much signal they can send to Australians, they Can threaten them.” Australian experts at CSI, based in Washington.
The Australian Ministry of Defense said last week that the vessels were sailing in international waters in the country’s northeastern region. The two warships include a frigate named Henchi and cruiser Zunyi.
The PLA Navy said last year that the People’s Liberation Army Navy is building ships to expand its coverage to East Asia. China insists that it has the right to develop its military.
“Although U.S. foreign policy has been in constant change. . The presence of the Australian fleet shows consistency, the Chinese Navy continues to expand the scope and intensity of patrols in the region, including Australia and the South Pacific,” said Richard McGregor of the Lowy Institute think tank. .
“This tells you about China’s ambitions in the Pacific, which is competing with Australia and the United States to a lesser extent.”
The ships sailed east of Sydney as Admiral Samuel Paparo, the head of US Indo-Pacific Command, was visiting Australia, where he met defence minister Richard Marles and foreign ministry Penny Wong in addition to meeting Vice-Admiral Justin Jones, the chief of joint operations.
The Australian Ministry of Defense and China’s Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Euan Graham, a defense expert at the ASPI think tank in Canberra, said PLA expresses power more frequently in the Pacific. He added that China has a history of unsafe response to legal Australian maritime activities. Beijing objects as the U.S. and Australian navies cross the international waters of the Taiwan Strait.
“They want to eat the cake and eat it,” Graham said. “It’s an obvious double standard.”
Marles, also serves as deputy prime minister, said last week that the PLA Air Force opened fire within 30 meters of the Australian P-8 aircraft in an “unsafe” incident in the South China Sea international waters.
Last week, Mars ordered the Australian Navy and Air Force to keep a “close watch” of the Chinese Navy task force. Beijing’s response was accusing Australia of intentional violations of rights in the South China Sea.
Other reports by Kathrin Hille in Taipei
