China’s warships are doing a lap of Australia to ‘test the navy’s strength’

The presence of self-sufficient Chinese warships in Australian waters has raised more questions about the security of Australia and the strength of its navy.

The anticipated circumnavigation of Australia by three Chinese warships will test the Australian navy’s ability to maintain surveillance of the vessels as they sail around the continent, experts warn.

There is growing pressure on the Albanese government after China’s live weapons drills last week, and former Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce called the warships’ presence “a real wake up call.”

Two of Australia’s newer tanker ships are both out of action with defective drive shafts, and former home affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo urged a “full classified report” to gauge the Australia’s response to the Chinese flotilla, The Australian reports.

Defence Minister Richard Marles rebuked a senior official who suggested a decision on the navy’s Anzac-class replacement frigates could be delayed until 2026.

The Chinese warships were last monitored moving south-southwest of Adelaide to the Great Australian Bight and presumedly further west.

Three Chinese warships that recently completed live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea have re-entered Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone and are currently being tracked southwest. Picture: Supplied

“I think that the circumnavigation might test us,” former naval officer Jennifer Parker said.

“The real issue for us here is the availability of surface combatants to maintain presence for a lengthy period, and the availability of tankers to replenish those surface combatants.”

The Chinese vessels includes Weishanhu, which has the ability to operate independently of local ports.

The Defence Department has confirmed it is working with New Zealand's military to jointly track the People's Liberation Army-Navy flotilla. Picture: Supplied

In comparison, the Australian navy’s oil tankers, HMAS Supply and HMAS Stalwart, have been out of service for 23 months and nine months respectively, forcing its warships to be port dependent for refuelling.

HMAS Supply is undergoing repairs at Sydney’s Fleet Base East and is not scheduled to return to service until at least the middle of the year. HMAS Stalwart has recently undergone repairs but has not yet returned to service.

Australia has been leaning on New Zealand’s replenishment vessels.

A former navy commander told The Australian that shadowing the Chinese vessels over 2000 nautical miles from Perth to Darwin would present the biggest challenge, due to the lack of port infrastructure along the west and northwest coastlines.

To bridge the gap a Western Australia-based ship would likely have to head into the Great Australian Bight to start tailing the Chinese vessels, he said.

The lack of oil replenishment would be problematic for Australia’s vessels and open them to the possibility of China leading them on a high-speed chase into the Indian Ocean and back to deplete fuel.

China’s Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang is one of three vessels expected to circumnavigate Australia. Picture: Australian Defence Force

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy refuted criticism of the government’s handling of the situation, insisting the flotilla had faced “the highest level of surveillance that you’ve ever seen from the Australian Defence Force for a cruise in international waters near Australia”.

But Defence officials maintain the Albanese government learned of China’s live-fire drill just 40 minutes after the exercise window opened after a tip off from a Virgin Australia pilot.

New Zealand relayed a second warning 50 minutes later from one of its frigates.

Mr Pezzullo said, “If that is ­unprecedented surveillance, then that might not be sufficient.”

“My view is that there should be a full classified report now prepared, with potentially a public version, of the timeline, and any inadequacies and deficiencies – some of that you might not want to publicise – with the aim of figuring out how we do this better next time.”

Mike Pezzullo, former Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, has said Australia’s response to the warships “might not be sufficient.” Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Critics say the Chinese warships expose historic underinvestment in Australia’s navy but Mr Marles maintained a decision on the ­nation’s new general-purpose frigates was due in the first quarter of 2026, and would not be delayed.

“Our No. 1 objective here is speed into service. What came out of the surface fleet review (released last year) was really a need to get more surface combatants into service in the Royal Australian Navy as quickly as possible,” he said.

Defence Department deputy secretary Jim McDowell said such decisions typically took seven to 10 years.

Replenishment vessel HMAS Stalwart (C) is currently out of action. Picture: Supplied/Royal Australian Navy

The Prime Minister reiterated on Friday that Beijing should have provided greater notice of its live-fire drills on Friday and Saturday, which caused dozens of flights between Australia and New Zealand to have to alter their flight plans.

But Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian said his country felt no need to apologise for the conduct of its vessels, and warned Australia to expect more such voyages.

“In my view, the notice is appropriate,” Mr Xiao told the ABC. “I don’t see there’s any reason why the Chinese side should feel sorry about that, or even to think about apologising for that.”

“As a major power in this region, as a country that has so many things to look after, it is normal for China to send their vessels to different parts of the region to conduct various kinds of activities.”

It comes as some 49 flights were forced to divert last week when three Chinese warships announced live firing drills underneath a busy flight path halfway between Australia and New Zealand.

Both nations have criticised China for staging the drills with little notice.

Australian officials said the last-minute alert was broadcast on a channel unused by air controllers.

The warships were moving through the Great Australian Bight on Friday morning, New Zealand’s defence force said.

The ally added it was ready to “support Australia by providing military assets for further monitoring should the need arise”.

Meanwhile, Taiwan said it detected 45 Chinese aircraft and 14 warships near the self-ruled island, the highest number this year.

China insists democratic Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring the island under its control.

Beijing has increased the deployment of fighter jets and naval vessels around Taiwan in recent years to press its claim of sovereignty, which Taipei rejects.

Beijing rejected the “pure hype” from Taiwan over what it called “routine training”.

Originally published as China’s warships are doing a lap of Australia to ‘test the navy’s strength’