Australia and New Zealand are closely monitoring three Chinese naval vessels spotted in international waters off Sydney, officials confirmed on Thursday.
Australia’s Defence Ministry reported that the ships were traveling down the country’s eastern coast, with surveillance efforts in place since their approach.
“We are keeping a close watch on them and making sure that we watch every move,” Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles told Sky News.
While noting that the vessels were not violating international law, Marles described their presence as unusual. “Just as they have a right to be in international waters, we have a right to be prudent and to make sure that we are surveilling them,” he added.
New Zealand’s Defence Minister, Judith Collins, said her country’s forces were also tracking the ships.
“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 what its plans are. We will continue to monitor these vessels,” Collins told Radio New Zealand.
The sighting comes amid heightened tensions between Australia and China following a recent military incident. Earlier this month, a Chinese fighter jet released flares just 30 meters from a Royal Australian Air Force aircraft patrolling the disputed South China Sea, escalating diplomatic friction between the two nations.
