British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell calls out Chinese warship safety concerns, making submarine site visit to Adelaide

A high-profile allied diplomat in Adelaide says China’s live firing exercises off Australia’s coast evoke memories of the infamous tragedy caused by a Russian missile.

British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell recalled Malaysian aircraft MH17 being shot down by a Russian missile in raising safety concerns over live firing by Chinese warships near Australia, in an exclusive interview in Adelaide this week.

As Australia reels from reports of the Chinese warship incident last week, Ms Treadell emphasised the United Kingdom’s commitment to keeping the Indo-Pacific region safe.

Ms Treadell doubled down on the UK supporting Australia’s defence through AUKUS and keeping commercial shipping and air routes safe during her visit to Adelaide that included the new Osborne submarine construction shipyard.

British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell is in Adelaide this week, her last visit to SA before she finishes her posting at the end of March. Picture: Keryn Stevens

“You can’t stop freedom of navigation so I think when countries do things that put others at risk it isn’t appropriate behaviour in the case from what we have read and from what has been reported, firing live rounds into the sky when there are air routes overhead,” she said.

“We have seen the great tragedy of (flight) MH17 which was a victim of a Russian missile where Australians, Brits, other nationalities, not least Malaysian passengers and aircrew of the national carrier died.

“So when people say we are just exercising in international waters we are firing live rounds, yes, but surely you should be cognisant that if you are in an area where there is commercial air traffic you need to take greater care.”

An image released on the 26th February, 2025 showing a Chinese Warship south of Tasmania, inside the Australian EEZ, and moving west, as seen from New Zealand's HMNZS Te Kaha and Seasprite helicopter. Picture: New Zealand Defence Force

The incident has raised global security concerns alongside comments from new United States President Donald Trump about the invasion of Ukraine by Russia – and how this could affect the trilateral AUKUS agreement between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

AUKUS is crucial to Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program with Defence Minister Richard Marles last month announcing a US$500m down payment for three to five United States-made Virginia class boats to fill the capability gap between new vessels being built in the United Kingdom, then Adelaide.

Ms Treadell planned a visit to the submarine shipyard under construction in Osborne, Adelaide, on Friday, saying her country’s plans to support Australia’s program were on track and concerns about UK submarine construction company Rolls Royce’s capacity addressed.

The British government recently announced an about £9 billion deal to create more than 1,000 UK jobs and safeguard 4,000 other roles, under the Rolls-Royce Submarines Ltd contract to deliver the design, manufacture and support services to nuclear reactors powering the new submarines.

Ms Treadell said this included a substantial injection of funds to the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard where Australian workers are already embedded to support and learn about the current submarine build.

“I think we are on track, in the last two weeks we consolidated 11 separate contracts into one with Rolls Royce with an investment of £9 billion in order to ensure that the capacity for production can be increased … that will also support Australia,” she said.

“We will share the (submarine) design which is already about 75 per cent completed.”

It is Ms Treadell’s final visit to Adelaide as British High Commissioner to Australia as her six-year term ends in March, highly experienced defence strategist Dame Sarah MacIntosh DCMG starts in the role during April.

Ms MacIntosh was the Prime Minister’s Adviser on International Affairs and Deputy National Security Adviser from 2022 to 2024 and is a former director general of defence and intelligence national security at the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Originally published as British High Commissioner Vicki Treadell calls out Chinese warship safety concerns, making submarine site visit to Adelaide