Royal Australian Navy punts Russia and China from defence summit

In a sign of further strained relations, the Australian Navy has dropped Russia and China from a major maritime event.

The Royal Australian Navy has fired a broadside at both Russia and China, barring the militaries from both nations from attending an international military and security maritime expo.

Russia has had its formal invitation rescinded after the super power invaded Ukraine and no invitation was given to China at all for the biennial summit that attracts military chiefs and senior figures from more than 40 nations and up to 700 defence and security industry manufacturers.

The Pacific 2022 International Maritime Exposition which includes the Sea Power Conference 2022 held in Australia every two years, is one of the world’s largest and most important forums for industry and military representatives to review hardware exhibitions and demonstrations and make orders for their militaries.

The Royal Australia Navy (RAN) had last November invited Russia to the dual event, to begin in Sydney on Tuesday, but in March just days after Russia invaded Ukraine, their invitation was formally rescinded in writing citing the aggressor’s assault on its neighbour.

A military source said there was no way they could go given the “conference is an important forum for maritime diplomacy, working with industry partners and discussing issues of strategic importance”.

The Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition 2022 in Sydney. Picture: Supplied

It can be revealed, the RAN had not issued China an invitation as it has in previous years with priority given to “allies and navies with strong ties to the RAN through exercises, training and humanitarian and disaster relief support”.

Registry to the Indo Pacific exposition is open to all as is the Sea Power conference, which involves deep discussion of strategic outlooks for the region and world.

“Given the level of discussions that are held, you can’t imagine how attendance by either (country) would have been viewed given both would be at the forefront of changing the global strategic outlook,” the source said.

Defence was contacted for comment.

According to organisers, as well as senior military figures the Australian Defence Force, with the support of other Australian Government agencies and a range of civil industry stakeholders, also invited international leaders in defence equipment acquisition, marine transport and security “with particular emphasis on the Asian and Indo-Pacific regions”.

The conferences, which attract more than 20,000 guests attending displays of some of the most advanced hardware on the market, presentations and debates, have been going for 20 years.

Originally published as Royal Australian Navy punts Russia and China from defence summit