China links hold despite territorial tensions

Despite the naval tensions in the South China Sea, low-key joint exercises and visits involving Australian, US and Chinese forces are continuing.

RAN fleet commander, Rear Admiral Jonathan Mead, right, with PLA-N South China chief of staff, Rear Admiral Wang Zaijie, on the Melbourne’s bridge in Zhanjiang. Picture: ADF

Despite the naval tensions in the South China Sea, low-key joint exercises and visits involving Australian, US and Chinese forces are continuing as part of a “productive relationship’’.

Last month the Adelaide-Class guided-missile frigate HMAS Melbourne docked at the Chinese port of Zhanjiang for a passage exercise with a People’s Liberation Army-Navy frigate, Xianning.

A passage exercise is intended to help train two navies in communicating and working together, including for disaster relief.

A Royal Australian Navy report says the sea exercise “included routine safety drills, helicopter search-and-rescue operations, as well as navigation and ship-handling exercises’’.

“The exercises culminated with a ceremonial ‘cheer ship’, with the ships’ companies … [farewelling] each other in traditional naval fashion before parting ways at sea,’’ the navy says.

Australian and Chinese personnel planned the activity together in Zhanjiang Naval Base, the navy says. Melbourne’s operations officer, Lieutenant Commander Suresh Kumar, said “these meetings help us to identify and establish commonalities in operating procedures, therefore they improve how we communicate with each other and how we interact at sea”.

Melbourne skipper Commander Marcus Buttler said “knowing what to expect … is fundamental to managing encounters on the high seas’’.

Last year the Melbourne led two Chinese frigates, Hengyang and Yulin, and a replenishment ship, Hongh, into Sydney Harbour after exercises off the NSW coast. “These exercises included ship manoeuvres, communications and boat-drill exercises,’’ the navy says.

Also last year, the Anzac-Class frigate HMAS Ballarat had maritime exercises with the PLA-N’s Huangshan, including surface-target firing, search and rescue and communication.

Australia’s chief of joint operations, Vice Admiral David Johnston, said last year the naval activities showed a valued relationship between the two navies.

“We will continue to seek out further opportunities for maritime engagement with the PLA-N in supporting our shared objectives for regional stability,” he said.

There were two joint land exercises in recent weeks, Pandaroo and Kowari. Pandaroo, held late in September, is a small, annual bilateral “adventure training’’ exercise. This year, it was held in Canberra and Sydney and was hosted by the Australian Army’s 6th Brigade.

Earlier troops from the Australian Army, the Chinese PLA Marine Corps, the US Army and the US Marine Corps trained together in the Northern Territory in the annual trilateral Exercise Kowari, “designed to reinforce military relationships, trust and co-operation’’, the Defence Department says.

“Each year Defence undertakes a range of international engagement activities with countries across the region, including China,’’ a Defence spokesperson said yesterday.

“Military-to-military co-operation presents an opportunity to share experiences, exchange views, and deepen the levels of trust that exist between both individuals and the countries they serve,’’ the spokesperson said.

“Over many years Defence has built a productive defence relationship with China based on strategic dialogue, senior visits, ship visits, student exchanges, exercises and peacekeeping.

“This is exemplified by the success of recent exercises’’ and Melbourne’s visit, the spokesperson said.