Recently, in the waters near Australia, several People’s Liberation Army Navy ships suddenly conducted live-fire exercises, and the Tasman Sea resonated with the sound of gunfire. It seems that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is deliberately showcasing its navy’s capability to project power far from China’s shores.
The CCP Navy’s Type 055 destroyer “Zunyi,” Type 054A frigate “Hengyang,” and Type 903 comprehensive supply ship “Weishanhu” began sailing in international waters off the east coast of Australia last week. The navies and maritime patrol aircraft of Australia and New Zealand have been tracking the movements of the CCP fleet.
On February 21-22, for two consecutive days, three CCP Navy vessels conducted a rare undeclared live-fire exercise about 630 kilometers from Eden, New South Wales, disrupting maritime and aerial traffic in the Tasman Sea and surrounding areas between Australia and New Zealand.
Authorities in Australia stated that they only became aware of the CCP ships’ intention to conduct live-fire exercises after commercial aircraft flying over the area received warnings. Qantas, Emirates, Virgin Australia, and Air New Zealand adjusted their flight paths between Australia and New Zealand after receiving the broadcast warning of the CCP Navy’s intention to conduct live-fire exercises. This lack of official prior notification was unprecedented.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Donald Marles said, “We were not informed by the Chinese. We only learned of this issue on the day.” He explained that the Chinese broadcast a warning indicating their intention to conduct live-fire exercises, specifically the commercial airlines flying over the Tasman Sea. This situation has caused significant unease among the airlines.
Marles emphasized that Australia usually issues notifications 12 to 24 hours before live-fire exercises.
The type of weapons actually fired by the CCP ships remains unclear. Reports indicate that observers spotted the CCP ships deploying inflatable maritime targets that resemble orange-red tomatoes, hence dubbed “killer tomatoes,” often used in maritime live-fire exercises. During the exercise, the CCP fleet changed formations, reset formations, and maintained live-fire positions.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun claimed that the Southern Theater Command organized the Chinese fleet for long-distance sea training exercises. The exercise was conducted in a safe, regular, and professional manner in accordance with relevant international laws and practices.
However, Marles described the situation of CCP ships arriving in the waters off eastern Australia as “undoubtedly, though not unprecedented, an unusual event.”
New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins stated: “The Chinese government did not inform us why they deployed this formation to our area, nor did they inform us of their future plans.”
Nevertheless, the undeclared dangerous live-fire exercises in waters near Australia clearly indicate a threat to the security of Australia and New Zealand. It suggests that the actions of the CCP navy fleet are signaling not only to Australia but potentially to other allies like the United States that military confrontation has extended to previously uncharted territories.
Just a few days ago, Australian and CCP military officials held the first high-level talks since 2019 in Beijing. The Australian Defense Department stated on February 17 that the two countries exchanged views on bilateral, global, and regional security issues, as well as military transparency and communication. Australia reiterated that all countries in the region must always act in a safe and professional manner to avoid miscalculation or escalation risks.
This provocative live-fire exercise by the CCP Navy poses a threat to the security of Australia and New Zealand. It suggests that the CCP does not prioritize official communication with Australia; commitments seem to be merely words. It also serves as a reminder to the Australian government to remain vigilant against the expansionist ambitions of the CCP.
In recent years, CCP naval activities in Australia and surrounding regions have been on the rise. In 2022, Australian authorities accused a CCP warship operating in northern Australian waters of harassing an Australian Air Force P-8A patrol aircraft with lasers. CCP intelligence-gathering vessels are increasingly frequenting international waters along the Australian coast. These trends indicate that military standoffs between the CCP military and foreign ships and aircraft have become more intense, especially in the disputed South China Sea and its vicinity.
On February 11, a CCP Air Force fighter jet dropped a flare within 30 meters of an Australian Air Force P-8A maritime surveillance aircraft over the South China Sea, posing a serious threat to Australian pilots’ safety. Australian officials referred to this as an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction.”
Australia has been actively bolstering its defense capabilities and modernizing its navy. Australia’s collaboration with the United Kingdom and the United States (AUKUS) on developing nuclear-powered submarines is currently the largest development project for the Australian Navy. Additionally, the deployment of US Air Force, Navy, and land-based long-range precision strike capabilities in Australia will significantly enhance its defense posture.
The area where the CCP Navy conducted live-fire exercises is the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, historically a strategically significant region.
During World War II, Japanese and German warships and aircraft were active in Australian waters, laying mines between Sydney and Newcastle, in the Bass Strait, near Hobart, and conducting extensive reconnaissance in the Tasman Sea. Vessels passing through this area were on high alert to guard against minefields, surface vessels, submarines, and aircraft attacks. However, attacks on commercial vessels and warships could not be entirely avoided.
Combat in the waters around Australia lasted from 1940 until February 1945. During this time, a German U-boat, U-862, passed through the Bass Strait into the Tasman Sea from the southern Australian coast. On December 25, 1944, the submarine sank the Allied cargo ship “Robert J. Walker” north of King Island. On February 6, 1945, the submarine sank the American cargo ship “Peter Silvester” on its way back to Jakarta. This marked the final battle in Australian waters.
Today, viewing the strategic position of the waters around Australia from the perspective of confrontations between the CCP and the United States and regional allies, it holds much greater significance than the position perceived by Germany and Japan during World War II. It serves as a crucial strategic terrain transitioning from the first island chain in the Pacific to the second island chain and a vital platform for US military and regional allies’ operations in the Western Pacific. Therefore, the CCP’s attempts to familiarize itself with this area may have undisclosed ulterior motives.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the activities of the CCP warships comply with international law. However, opposition spokesperson Andrew Hastie criticized this handling. He stated that the government should stand up to uphold Australian national interests and demand mutual respect from the Chinese counterparts. He believes that the increasingly assertive military presence of the CCP is indicative of “gunboat diplomacy.” The CCP is attempting to project power in the Pacific region, testing Australia and other US allies in the region.
In recent years, the CCP military has been continuously enhancing its capability to project maritime and aerial power towards the Pacific and other global regions. Activities have significantly increased even in the waters and airspace around Alaska, with increasing cooperation between the CCP military and the Russian military. Such activities like joint patrols involving CCP bombers carrying anti-ship missiles and Russian Tu-95 bombers were first seen near Alaska last year.
The appearance of the CCP fleet in the Tasman Sea sends a clear message that the CCP’s “gray zone” operations have expanded from the South China Sea, East China Sea, Taiwan Strait, and Philippine Sea into the deeper Pacific, approaching the second island chain in the Pacific. This is likely to raise the high vigilance of the United States and regional allies.