Three Chinese navy ships have charted a course along Australia’s eastern coast in a move described as ‘unusual’ by the country’s defence minister.Australia and New Zealand are monitoring the “unusual” presence of a group of Chinese naval vessels spotted in international waters off the Australian eastern coast, defence ministers of the two countries said.
Three Chinese navy vessels – a frigate, a cruiser and a supply tanker – were spotted last week in waters off mainland Australia.
The warships have since charted a course taking them down Australia’s eastern coast and were reported to be located 150 nautical miles (278km) east of Sydney.
“We are keeping a close watch on them, and we will make sure we are watching every move,” Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles said in a television interview.
“It’s not unprecedented. But it is an unusual event,” Marles said, stressing the vessels were “not a threat” and that they were “engaging in accordance with international law”.
“And just as they have a right to be in international waters, which is what they are doing, we have a right to be prudent and to make sure that we are surveilling them, which is what we are doing,” he added. Advertisement
New Zealand’s Defence Minister Judith Collins told Radio New Zealand her country’s defence forces were also monitoring the Chinese ships.
“We have …
