February 20th 2025.
On Thursday, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles addressed the recent sighting of three Chinese navy warships off the east coast of Australia. He made it clear that Australia would be closely monitoring the movements of these ships.
The ships in question, the Hengyang, Zunyi, and Weishanhu, were first spotted off the coast of Queensland and have since been tracked as they sail south. Marles revealed that Australian ships and aircraft are working in collaboration with New Zealand's military to keep a close eye on the Chinese task force.
In a statement, Marles stated that once the Chinese mission is over, they will conduct a thorough assessment of their intentions. He emphasized that both naval and air force assets have been deployed to closely monitor the situation. The Australian government is also working with other regional partners to ensure the safety and security of their waters while the Chinese task force is present.
However, when asked about the ships' presence, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun declined to comment, stating that he was not familiar with the situation. This response was reported by Australian media.
The Australian Ministry of Defence released a statement last week, confirming that the Chinese vessels were a People's Liberation Army-Navy task group comprising of the Hengyang, Zunyi, and Weishanhu. This announcement came after tensions rose between the two nations when a Chinese fighter jet dropped flares near an Australian Air Force plane in the South China Sea. The Australian government expressed its concerns to China, condemning the actions of their military aircraft as unsafe and unprofessional.
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