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A recent War Zone article summarises the recent Chinese naval drill with unannounced live-fire component between Australia and New Zealand - disrupting air traffic over the Tasman Sea. Australian authorities say they only learnt the Chinese ships would fire some weapons after commercial airliners flying overhead received alerts. In addition to this incident, the flotilla's presence in the region shows the PLAN's growing reach beyond China's borders.
The PLAN's Type 055 destroyer Zunyi, Type 054A frigate Hengyang, and Type 903 replenishment ship Weishanhu have been sailing south in international waters east of Australia since last week. The Type 055, a cruiser by size, is one of China's most modern and capable warships. Australian and New Zealand warships and P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes have tracked them.
“We weren’t notified by China, we became aware of the issue during the day,” Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles told ABC Radio Perth today. "What China did was broadcast its intention to engage in live fire, and airlines, literally commercial planes flying across the Tasman, picked up that broadcast."
Marles acknowledged that airlines may have been concerned, as Australia typically provides 12-24 hours notice before live-fire exercises.
According to ACARS alerts, the Chinese drills took place 400 miles (340 nautical miles) southeast of Sydney, Australia. The Chinese flotilla reportedly directly hailed an Emirates flight from Sydney to Christchurch, New Zealand, warning it to stay at least 19 nautical miles away. Other airlines have reportedly changed their Tasman Sea routes like Qantas and Air New Zealand. Australian civil aviation authorities have issued formal “advice” on air traffic around Chinese ships.
What weapons Chinese ships fired is unknown.
The ABC reported that Chinese vessels deployed a floating target, changed formation, and reset formation like a live fire event. It is understood the Australian military did not see the vessels fire on the target.
Armed forces worldwide use inflatable floating targets, known as “killer tomatoes,” in maritime training exercises, especially live-fire gunnery drills. Whether Chinese ships will conduct more live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea or elsewhere is unknown.
“This is activity that has occurred in waters consistent with international law,” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “No imminent risk of danger to any Australian or New Zealand assets.”
“The PLA Southern Theatre Command organised the Chinese fleet to conduct a far seas exercise,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told ABC. “The drill was safe, standard, and professional in accordance with relevant international law and international practice.”
However, the Chinese flotilla's actions today and overall presence in the region are unusual. Albanese's silence has drawn criticism in Australia.
“There is no doubt that this is, not unprecedented, but an unusual event,” Marles told Sky News yesterday about the Chinese ships' arrival in waters east of Australia.
“We have not been informed by the Chinese government why this task group has been deployed into our region, and we have not been informed of its future plans,” New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins said yesterday.
With the disruptive live-firing that was not announced in advance, it is hard not to see the Chinese flotilla's operations as a message to Australia, if not beyond. Five days ago, Australian and Chinese military officials held their 23rd high-level strategic dialogue in Beijing, the first since 2019.
After the Feb. 17 Dialogue, Australia's Department of Defence said both countries discussed bilateral, global, and regional security issues, military transparency, and communication. Australia stressed that all countries in the region must operate safely and professionally to avoid miscalculation or escalation.
Recently, Chinese naval activity around Australia has become increasingly assertive. In 2022, for example, Australian authorities claimed that a Chinese warship operating in northern Australian waters had used a laser to harass one of their P-8A aircraft. Also, Chinese intelligence-gathering ships are increasingly visible in international waters off Australia.
In and around the disputed South China Sea, Chinese military interactions with foreign warships and aircraft have become more aggressive. A Chinese fighter jet dropped flares in front of a RAAF P-8A flying over the South China Sea earlier this month, prompting Australian officials to call it a “unsafe and unprofessional interaction.”
Australia has been modernising and strengthening its naval capabilities to better compete with China in the Pacific. The Royal Australian Navy's planned acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine force with American and British help is the most significant effort. The trilateral Australia-UK-US defence cooperation agreement includes this. The U.S. military's forward-deployed air and naval presence in Australia will also increase.
China's military has steadily expanded its naval and air power beyond its shores in the Pacific and elsewhere. This includes a significant increase in Chinese activity in the waters and skies around Alaska, often in direct cooperation with Russian forces. Chinese H-6 missile carriers made their Alaska debut last year as part of a patrol with Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers.
We don't know how long the Chinese flotilla in the Tasman Sea will stay or conduct more live-fire drills. The ships' clear signals may indicate future actions beyond this deployment.
Let us know what you think about these activities of the Chinese operating, albeit in international waters, between Australia and New Zealand.
