Australia Scrambles To Track Chinese Warships Moving Through Pacific Waters

Australia’s military is actively monitoring a group of Chinese naval vessels traveling through international waters off its east coast. The sudden appearance of the warships, which include a missile cruiser and a replenishment vessel, has sparked concerns about Beijing’s expanding military footprint in the Pacific.

Defense Minister Richard Marles acknowledged that while these movements are legal, they remain an unusual occurrence. He stated that the Australian navy and air force are maintaining constant surveillance on the fleet’s activities.

The Chinese warships had previously sailed through Southeast Asia and the Coral Sea before reaching waters east of Sydney. Their course has prompted defense officials in both Australia and New Zealand to closely assess China’s motives for such a deployment.

New Zealand’s Defense Minister Judith Collins confirmed that her nation’s military is tracking the fleet in coordination with Australia. She noted that Beijing has provided no explanation for the warships’ presence or their intended destination.

The naval movements follow rising tensions between China and Australia, including a recent aerial confrontation where a Chinese fighter jet engaged in what Australian officials described as “unsafe” conduct near an Australian surveillance aircraft.

As military activity in the Pacific intensifies, Australian officials are working with regional allies, including the US and Papua New Guinea, to respond to Beijing’s increasingly assertive naval operations.

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