Beijing delivers bombshell show of force off Australia’s largest city as Chinese warships are caught making never-before-seen move

Chinese warships have been spotted just 150 nautical miles off Australia’s east coast in an unprecedented show of force from Beijing. 

Three ships from the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) were spotted about 277 kilometres off Sydney on Wednesday.

Two Australian navy ships trailed the vessels as they reached the southernmost point on the eastern coast Chinese warships have travelled, outside of official port visits.

‘Defence is monitoring the People’s Liberation Army-Navy Jiangkai-class frigate Hengyang, the Renhai-class Cruiser named Zunyi and the Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu, which continue to operate to the east of Australia,’ the Australian Defence Force said in a statement on Wednesday night. 

It’s the second time within a week the Chinese warships have been spotted off Australia’s coast.

The ADF confirmed last Thursday that officials were monitoring a People’s Liberation Army-Navy frigate, cruiser and replenishment vessel in the Coral Sea.

It issued a rare statement last Thursday, saying it was ‘aware of a People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) task group operating to the north east of Australia’.

‘Defence routinely monitors all maritime traffic in our Exclusive Economic Zone and maritime approaches,’ it said.

‘The vessels travelled through Southeast Asia, before entering Australia’s maritime approaches. One of the vessels, the Hengyang, transited the waters to Australia’s north.

‘Australia respects the rights of all states to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, just as we expect others to respect Australia’s right to do the same.

‘Defence will continue to monitor the activities of the task group in Australia’s maritime approaches with a combination of capabilities, including air and maritime assets.’

However, the ADF hadn’t revealed that the Chinese military vessels have since headed south.  

While the ships are not in breach of international law, a former Australian naval officer said the latest sighting should serve as a warning to Australia. 

‘It is of course sending a message to Australia’s about the PLA-N’s capability,’ UNSW Canberra adjunct fellow Jennifer Parker told The Australian.

‘We must become accustomed to these kind of operations. The lesson here is China has a bluewater capability, a point we already knew.

‘In the event of crisis or conflict, we should expect more operations in our region and likely interdiction of our maritime trade. This is why Australia should invest in a strong navy.’

Defence Minister Richard Marles last week said the government was ‘responding in a serious way’ to the presence of the military ships, even though China was ‘perfectly in accordance with international law’.

‘I’ve ordered a deployment of both navy and air force assets to make sure that we are shadowing this to have a clear understanding of what’s going on,’ he said.  

The unprecedented presence of PLA-N ships off the coast of Sydney comes a little over a week after a Chinese fighter jet fired flares within 30m of a Royal Australian Air Force surveillance aircraft over the South China Sea.

The Albanese Government lodged an official protest with Beijing over the ‘unsafe and unprofessional’ interaction, which risked up to a dozen Australian lives.

Beijing claimed it had lodged its own protest over the aircraft’s ‘deliberate intrusion’.

‘We understand there are going to be interactions between our respective defence forces, but what matters is that those interactions are safe and professional and on this occasion they were not,’ Mr Marles told the ABC.

The 23rd Australia-China Defence Strategic Dialogue was held in Beijing on Monday for the first time since 2019.

The Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Air Marshal Robert Chipman AO CSC, and Deputy Secretary Strategy, Policy and Industry Group, Hugh Jeffrey, led the Australian delegation. 

General Xu Qiling, Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff Department, led China’s delegation. 

‘At the Dialogue, both countries exchanged views on bilateral, global and regional security issues, as well as military transparency and communication,’ the ADF said.

‘Australia reiterated the importance of all countries in the region operating in a safe and professional manner at all times to avoid the risk of miscalculation or escalation.

‘Australia underscored the importance of adherence to international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the comprehensive legal framework for all activities in the oceans and seas.

‘Australia affirmed the importance of all countries acting in a manner that respects sovereignty and upholds peace, security and stability.’