Chinese surveillance ships are likely to be monitoring some of the largest military exercises between Australia and the United States, taking place in Queensland and other parts of the country from today.
Exercise Talisman Sabre is the biggest bilateral wargame between Australia and the US, and this year’s will be the largest edition of the event, with 30,000 personnel from 19 nations taking part, and Papua New Guinea to play host to part of the exercises for the first time.
But China is likely to be keeping a close eye on the developments.
“That usually happens, China sends down one of their surveillance ships,” 9News political editor Charles Croucher said.
“They’re in international water. They have every legal right to do so.”
Speaking to the ABC this morning, federal Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said it would be unusual if China didn’t spy on the exercises.
“It’s our most important bilateral exercise with the United States,” Conroy said.
“It’s not unusual for other countries to observe that. China has observed those exercises for the last four exercises.
“It won’t be unexpected if they continue to do that.”
He said Australia will monitor China’s movements and the exercises will be adjusted accordingly.
The wargames have coincided with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to China, where defence and security are likely to be raised when he meets President Xi Jinping following the People’s Liberation Army Navy flotilla that circumnavigated Australia and held live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea with little, if any, warning earlier this year.
Albanese did not directly address those reports when asked about them this afternoon in Shanghai, saying Australia’s goal was “advancing peace and security in our region”.
“We support the status quo when it comes to Taiwan,” he told reporters.
“We don’t support any unilateral action there.
“We have a clear position, and we have been consistent about that.”
