The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China has recently conducted a series of exercises in international waters near Australia and New Zealand, forcing civilian vessels to alter their routes and commercial aircraft to adjust their flight paths. These Chinese surface units had been detected days earlier and were already being closely monitored by the Royal Australian Navy.
According to various sources, the Task Group consists of three Chinese Navy ships that sailed south along Australia’s eastern coast after notifying their intent to conduct exercises in the Tasman Sea. Some analysts suggest that China’s choice of distance and location was aimed at demonstrating power projection.
Just days ago, this same group—comprising the Type 055 guided-missile cruiser Zunyi, the Type 054A frigate Hengyang, and the Type 903 replenishment ship Weishanhu—was detected off Australia’s northeastern coast, prompting authorities to closely track its movements. These vessels were recently spotted about 150 nautical miles (276 km) from Sydney, within Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone. In response, the Australian government deployed two Royal Australian Navy ships to monitor the situation.
Some experts consider this event unprecedented, as it marks the first time China’s naval forces have ventured so far along Australia’s eastern coast. It also signals Beijing’s intent to project power beyond the first and second island chains, which extend from Japan to Indonesia and from Japan to Micronesia via Guam, respectively. “This speaks to China’s ambitions in the Pacific, where it is directly competing for influence with Australia and, to a lesser extent, the United States,” said Richard McGregor of the Lowy Institute.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Richard Marles described the event as unusual, stating, “China issued a notification of its intent to conduct live-fire exercises, which was picked up by airlines, including commercial flights crossing the Tasman Sea.” Beijing, for its part, characterized the naval maneuvers as “far-sea exercises” conducted by the PLA Southern Theater Command “in accordance with relevant international laws and practices,” according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun.
This latest episode adds to a series of incidents involving Australian and Chinese military forces. Just weeks ago, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles accused a Chinese J-16 fighter of dangerously intercepting a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8 Poseidon patrol aircraft during an international flight over the South China Sea. According to reports, the Chinese aircraft deployed flares just 30 meters from the Australian patrol plane, posing a severe risk of damage.
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