A group of Chinese warships has been moving 'abnormally' off Australia's east coast, prompting the country to dispatch its air force and navy to monitor them.
Chinese warships and aircraft flexed their muscles in the Pacific in 2018.
Sky News on February 20 quoted Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles as saying that the country is monitoring the "unusual" appearance of three Chinese warships moving off the country's east coast.
A Chinese naval group of warships, including a frigate, a cruiser and a supply ship, was spotted last week off the coast of Australia, with the frigate passing through the Torres Strait between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
The ship then moved south, about 240 km off the coast of Sydney, according to the Financial Times .
"We are monitoring it closely and will make sure we are monitoring every move. This is not unprecedented. But this is an unusual event," Marles said.
The minister stressed that the vessels were “not a threat” and were acting in accordance with international law. He said the Australian air force and navy had been monitoring the movements of the Chinese vessels.
China did not immediately comment on the statement.
Canberra reprimanded Beijing last week for “unsafe” military conduct, accusing a Chinese fighter jet of dropping flares near an Australian air force plane patrolling the South China Sea.
China quickly responded, accusing the Australian aircraft of "violating China's sovereignty and endangering China's national security".
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The incident is the latest in a series of tense encounters between China and Australia in increasingly contested airspace and shipping lanes in the Asia-Pacific region.
A Chinese fighter jet allegedly intercepted an Australian Seahawk helicopter in international airspace in 2024, dropping flares across its flight path.
In 2023, a Chinese destroyer allegedly used sonar to target Australian Navy divers diving in waters off Japan, causing minor injuries.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/uc-theo-doi-cac-tau-chien-trung-quoc-xuat-hien-bat-thuong-185250220065555289.htm
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