Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, Richard Marles, stated on Sky News Australia that the country is closely monitoring a group of Chinese warships sailing near its coast. While acknowledging the ships’ adherence to international law, Marles described the situation as unusual, albeit not unprecedented.
He confirmed the right of the vessels to be in international waters, but emphasized Australia’s ongoing surveillance.
An Australian Department of Defense statement (February 13th) identified the ships as a People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) task group comprising the Hengyang (Jiangkai-class frigate), the Zunyi (Renhai cruiser), and the Weishanhu (Fuchi-class replenishment vessel). The statement confirmed routine monitoring of maritime traffic in Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone and approaches, noting the vessels’ journey through Southeast Asia before approaching Australia, with the Hengyang transiting waters north of the country.
The Financial Times reported that the Australian navy shadowed these Chinese vessels approximately 150 nautical miles east of Sydney.
New Zealand’s Defense Minister, Judith Collins, stated (via the Associated Press) that her country’s military is cooperating with Australia to monitor the Chinese vessels, citing a lack of communication from the Chinese government regarding the deployment’s purpose and future plans. New Zealand continues to monitor the situation.
A separate February 13th statement from the Australian Defense Department detailed an incident involving a Chinese J-16 fighter jet releasing flares near a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon aircraft on February 11th, 2025, during a routine patrol in the South China Sea. The department described the action as unsafe and unprofessional, posing a risk to the aircraft and personnel, although no harm resulted.