China secretly notified one of Australia’s closest allies weeks before its navy conducted live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea without notifying Australia in advance, it has been revealed on Sunday.
At least two weeks before the military activities, Beijing gave Papua New Guinea a “courtesy” warning while keeping Australia in the dark, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko was personally told of China’s plans to send People’s Liberation Army vessels “past and through” PNG’s waters.
“The Chinese Ambassador did come and see me and alert myself and our government that they did have war ships going past and through our waters. Just out of courtesy,” Mr Tkatchenko said.
In an exclusive interview, PNG’s Foreign Minister said China alerted him they were “doing their own drills” and their own programs and activities “in those waters”.
“Of course, the rest of the information came forward to Australia and other countries … seeing what they were doing in our waters. It is a bit intimidating, I can see Australia’s point in this situation and it must be monitored,” he said.
The same courtesy call China afforded to PNG and Mr Tkatchenko was not extended to Australia or New Zealand, as the Albanese government was only aware of the Chinese warships through Australia’s own intelligence channels.
Despite Australia having tracked the warships since February 10, the Albanese government first learnt China was engaging in live-fire exercises after a commercial Virgin pilot picked up a broadcast from the warships instructing flights to avoid the area.
The Australian Defence Force only found out via AirServices Australia, which was informed by the commercial pilot, 40 minutes after the drill began.
China’s lopsided approach to Australia’s Pacific neighbours, while keeping the Albanese government and New Zealand in the dark, was an expression of Beijing’s “darker side”, Strategic Analysis Australia defence expert Michael Shoebridge told the Telegraph.
“Beijing has clearly decided to be all smiles with PNG and the South Pacific nations while showing their much darker side to Australia in the way they have communicated and conducted these drills and this military presence,” he said.
“It is a nakedly obvious attempt to accentuate their friendlessness to the Pacific nations while upping the aggression to Australia and New Zealand.”
Australia’s Defence Force chief, Admiral David Johnston, fronted Senate estimates on Wednesday and said the Chinese, who had conducted the drills in international waters in accordance with international law, had given “inadequate notification” as the call was made after the firing window had begun.
The ADF chief said the expectation, in accordance with international practice, was that vessels on the high seas are forewarned of live-fire drills and provided with 48 hours of notice to minimise disruption.
Admiral Johnston said what was “more peculiar” about the Chinese ships travelling to the south of Australia was that they had previously transited through the region on return from counter-piracy patrols, but this time they travelled straight from southeast Asia.
“We have seen Chinese vessels in our waters to the east and south of the country previously, but just not in the form that we are currently observing,” he said.
