Australian pilots warned as ADF ‘keeping close watch’ on Chinese warships off NSW

Several international flights have been diverted as Chinese military vessels conduct a suspected live fire exercise in waters between Australia and New Zealand.

Several international flights have been diverted as Australian authorities warn pilots to avoid Chinese military vessels which conducted a suspected live fire exercise in waters between Australia and New Zealand on Friday.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) was currently keeping a “close watch” on a trio of Chinese warships creeping down Australia’s east coast, defence minister Richard Marles said.

Authorities were shadowing the vessels off the coast of Sydney in what is the second time within a week where the vessels from China have been spotted off Australia’s coast.

The People’s Liberation Army ships had been patrolling waters off Australia over the course of the week, heading south-west from the east coast toward NZ.

China warned Australia on Friday of potential “live fire” naval drills in international waters off the eastern coast, prime minister Anthony Albanese said, as Airservices Australia warned commercial flights to steer clear of the area.

Beijing described the manoeuvres as training exercises that were “safe, standard and professional” and in line with international law, without commenting on whether live ammunition was used.

“This is activity that has occurred in waters consistent with international law,” Mr Albanese said.

“There has been no imminent risk of danger to any Australian assets or New Zealand assets, and that’s why this notification occurs.”

Asked about the drills on Friday, China’s foreign ministry said the country’s military had “organised a naval formation to conduct training and exercises in distant waters”.

The People’s Liberation Army ships has been patrolling waters off Australia over the course of the week. Picture: AFP

It is believed the vessels begun conducting live fire drills, without notice, in international waters about 340 nautical miles (629.7 kilometres) south-east of Sydney.

It comes amid warnings from experts that China’s “provocative” move to send its warships ships sailing near Australia’s coastline could be a sign of things to come.

Opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie labelled Beijing’s move as “provocative”, while former senior defence official Michael Shoebridge said Australians should be worried by what it means for the future.

“This is a foretaste of what Australia and the South Pacific will experience more and more,” he said.

Two Australian navy vessels were following the warships, which were spotted 150 nautical miles east of Sydney on Wednesday.

The Deputy Prime Minister said on Thursday the activity was “unusual”.

“We are keeping close watch on them, and we will be making sure that we watch every move and whenever this mission is over on the part of the Chinese task group, we will assess everything we have seen to make a proper assessment of exactly what they were trying to achieve through this mission,” Mr Marles told Sky News.

Mr Marles, who is also defence minister, swiftly added that the ships were “not doing anything that is contrary to international law”, echoing other Defence officials.

“But there is no doubt that this is, not unprecedented, but an unusual event,” Mr Marles said.

“And just as they have a right to be in international waters, which is what they are doing, we have a right to be prudent and to make sure that we are surveilling them, which is what we are doing.

“So … early on here, I instructed that we needed to have assets, our own frigates and air assets, making sure that we are watching every move that they take.”

People’s Liberation Army-Navy Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang was spotted off the coast of Queensland last week. Picture: AFP / Australian Defence Force

It’s believed the Chinese navy had never sailed so far down Australia’s east coast and that Beijing was attempting to assert its dominance in the region.

In its update, Defence said it “routinely monitors” all ship activity in Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone and that Australia “respects” the internationally recognised right to freedom of navigation.

Mr Marles said they did not pose any immediate danger, but stressed Defence was trying to figure out what “the Chinese are seeking to achieve”.

“They’re not a threat in the sense that they are engaging in accordance with international law,” he said.

“But it is important that we understand exactly what is happening here.

“We will make sure that we look at every move they make to have a very clear assessment of what … the Chinese are seeking to achieve.”

In a statement on Wednesday night, the ADF said: “Defence is monitoring the People’s Liberation Army-Navy Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang, the Renhai-class Cruiser named Zunyi and the Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu, which continue to operate to the east of Australia.”

The Australian navy is closely monitoring the warships. Picture: Allan Reinikka / The Morning Bulletin

Charles Edel, an Australia expert at Washington-based think-tank CSIS, weighed in on what Beijing may be up to.

“As the Chinese test their ability to project power further south, in addition to east and west, the question becomes how much they can hold at risk — how much they can signal to the Australians that they can threaten them,” he said.

Professor Rory Medcalf, head of the ANU National Security College, also agreed that this was Beijing’s way of flexing its power.

“This is China sending an unsubtle signal that it is normalising the ability to project military power fairly much anywhere off the Australian coastline,” he told the Financial Times.

“A confronting strategic future is arriving fast. This flotilla will likely also visit Pacific island countries.

“It would be hard to find a more tangible sign of the need for Australia to increase defence spending and to sustain our campaign of statecraft aimed at stopping China establishing a military base in the Pacific.”

Last Thursday, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) moved navy and air force assets to monitor two People’s Liberation Army-navy frigates and a replenishment vessel navigating in the country’s exclusive economic zone in the Coral Sea.

It came after the federal government complained to Beijing about an incident in the South China Sea on Tuesday, February 11 when a Chinese jet released flares within just 30 metres of an Australian surveillance plan.

Originally published as Australian pilots warned as ADF ‘keeping close watch’ on Chinese warships off NSW