Australian Navy tailing three Chinese warships spotted 150 nautical miles east of Sydney: reports

The Australian Navy is reportedly closely monitoring a Chinese naval task group sailing 150 nautical miles east of Sydney.

The Australian Navy is reportedly closely monitoring a Chinese naval task group sailing 150 nautical miles east of Sydney.

The excursion marks the furthest the Chinese navy has ventured down Australia’s eastern coastline.

Two Australian warships are reportedly tailing the fleet, which includes a frigate (Hengyang), a cruiser (Zunyi), and a supply vessel.

The ships were first detected off Australia’s northeastern coast last week, raising fresh concerns about Beijing’s growing maritime reach.

China’s Army-Navy Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang is part of a task group operating to the north east of Australia. (Photo by Handout / AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE / AFP)

One anonymous source told the Financial Times that the move, which sees China push beyond the first and second Pacific island chains, is “unprecedented”.

The timing of the fleet’s movement coincides with the visit of Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of US Indo-Pacific Command, to Australia where he met Defence Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

Tensions between Australia and China’s military presence have flared in recent weeks, with Mr Marles accusing the PLA Air Force of firing flares within 30 metres of an Australian P-8 aircraft over the South China Sea — a move he described as “unsafe.”

Mr Marles ordered Australia’s navy and air force to keep a “close eye” on the vessels in response.

Beijing in turn accused Canberra of infringing on its rights in the South China Sea.

The Australian defence department has not yet responded to requests for comment.

A rough approximation of the location of Chinese warships being tailed by Australia’s Navy.

‘Rules-based order’ critical for Australia

There has been talk in recent days over Australia’s vulnerabilities in light of China’s presence off the coast.

“With limited resources and finite defence capability, yet vast interests at sea, it’s important that Australian security and economic planning is trained on the most critical pain points in our sea lines of communication,” Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) analyst David Uren says in summary of a newly-released security report.

As Jamie Seidel writes, Australia’s supply lines are vast and exposed and an “adversary could implement military coercion at a distance with threats against our trade and supply routes”.

It’s a scenario of heightened relevance in a federal election year where all major parties must balance Canberra’s economic ties with Beijing and its security relationship with Washington, DC.

It is an environment where Beijing refuses to back down on its expansionist agenda.

“I do think that we’re in a … more challenging circumstance than we’ve ever been since 1945. And I include the height of the Cold War,” Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy recently told the Australian National University’s National Security College.

“Our future prosperity and security has to depend, and will depend on the rules-based order being respected by everyone.”

Originally published as Australian Navy tailing three Chinese warships spotted 150 nautical miles east of Sydney: reports