‘Years in the making’: Why Chinese warships will keep heading our way
Another Chinese flotilla is moving south, underlining that Beijing’s presence near Australia is no longer an anomaly but a strategic warning Canberra can’t ignore.
The Chinese frigate Hengyang sailing near Australian waters last February. Department of Defence
Michael ReadForeign affairs and defence correspondent
Barely a year after a Chinese task force circumnavigated Australia for the first time, another People’s Liberation Army navy flotilla is again charting a course southward – a reminder that Beijing’s presence in Australia’s near region is no longer an anomaly but an emerging fixture.
The Australian Financial Review revealed that Defence is tracking the flotilla, and the military warns Australians should expect such long-range deployments to become routine.
Michael ReadForeign affairs and defence correspondentMichael Read is the foreign affairs and defence correspondent, reporting from Parliament House, Canberra. He was formerly economics correspondent. He joined the Financial Review in 2021 from the Reserve Bank of Australia. Reach Michael securely @michaelread.14 on Signal. Email Michael at michael.read@afr.com
