Politics Chinese warships off Australia - flights change course
There is growing concern in Australia about three Chinese warships that have been conducting military exercises off the country's east coast for days.
21.02.2025, 10:12
SDA
It is unclear what Beijing's intention is - but the deployment is already having an impact on air traffic: the government company Airservices Australia, which is responsible for flight safety, has issued a so-called NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) for the region, reported the ABC. This caused several international flights to change course.
The ships - a frigate, a cruiser and a supply ship - were discovered off the coast last week. According to the British "Financial Times", they were last sighted just 150 nautical miles (278 kilometers) east of Sydney.
The Chinese military has not yet commented on the matter. In response to media reports, the foreign office in Beijing explained that the People's Liberation Army organizes exercises on the open sea. Such exercises are always held in a safe, standardized and professional manner in accordance with international laws, said spokesman Guo Jiakun in Beijing.
Firing exercises started
The ABC quoted official sources as saying that one of the ships had carried out firing exercises that posed a danger to aircraft. "We are keeping a close eye on them," Defense Minister Richard Marles told Sky News on Thursday. The New Zealand military is supporting the neighboring country in this.
However, Marles also explained that China has so far acted "in accordance with international law" and has not invaded Australia's territorial waters. "They have the right to be where they are." But Australia also has the right to be prudent.
Only last week, China had accused Australia of intruding into its airspace with a military aircraft. Australia's Ministry of Defense rejected the accusations and stated that the aircraft had flown in international airspace over the South China Sea. According to Australian reports, a Chinese fighter jet subsequently dropped decoys in the vicinity of the aircraft.
Tensions in the South China Sea
China has one of the largest navies in the world. The ruling Communist Party in Beijing has been investing in the development of new ships for years. The People's Liberation Army exercises almost daily around Taiwan, which China counts as part of its territory, although the island republic has an independent government.
The South China Sea is also regularly the scene of clashes between the coast guards of China and the Philippines. China claims most of the resource-rich region, in which the Philippines' exclusive economic zone is located, for itself, thus contradicting the ruling of an arbitration tribunal in the case.
