The flotilla of Chinese warships has sailed beyond Perth and is off the north-west coast of Western Australia.

It passed the navy base HMAS Stirling on Garden Island, near Rockingham, yesterday.

The vessels are continuing their circumnavigation of Australia, which triggered a row with China and intense domestic political debate when they staged a live fire drill off NSW.

This missile cruiser is part of the Chinese flotilla sailing off Australia. (Department of Defence) (Supplied)

Australian authorities are monitoring the warships as they travel through international waters.

The Department of Defence said today the People’s Liberation Army-Navy Task Group 107 – comprised of a frigate, a cruiser and a replenishment vessel – is operating 300 nautical miles (556km) north-west of Perth. 

“Defence continues to monitor the task group while it remains in the vicinity of Australia’s maritime approaches,” it said in a statement.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles told Today this morning the ADF, working with the New Zealand military, had done a “really fantastic job” in tracking the ships.

The Royal Australian Navy ships – HMAS Warramunga, HMAS Stuart and HMAS Toowoomba – are shadowing the task group.

“And we’ll continue to keep a very close eye on that task group as we have from the very moment that this task group entered the vicinity of Australia,” said Marles.

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