Australia said on Saturday that a Chinese intelligence vessel that came within 50 nautical miles of a defense installation on Australia’s west coast did not breach international maritime laws. The Chinese vessel has been tracked by Australia over the past week.
The vessel passed Harold E Holt Naval Communications Station in Exmouth, Western Australia. This naval facility is used by Australian, American and allied submarines.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that the Chinese navy vessel was not in Australian territorial waters but that its presence was “worrying”, amid an election campaign where China’s behavior in the region has been the center of concern.
The issue of a national security threat posed by China, including its growing influence in the Pacific, has been a major campaign theme for the May 21 general election.
Asked on Saturday whether the vessel’s conduct was a “red line”, Morrison said freedom of navigation was allowed worldwide and the vessel had not breached maritime laws.
“The international law of the sea has not been violated,” he told reporters during the election campaign in Melbourne. But he said the issue highlighted the challenges Australia faces from China “seeking to impose its will in the region”.
Anthony Albanese, leader of the opposition Labor Party, said he shared the government’s concerns about the ship and had asked for a briefing.
Defense Minister Peter Dutton said this week he viewed the ship’s move as “an act of aggression” for traveling so far south.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, asked about Dutton’s comments on Friday, said he was unaware of the specifics but China still abides by international law and urged Australian politicians to “refrain from any alarmism”.
The Chinese Embassy in Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.
Relations between Australia and China, major trading partners, have recently been strained due to China’s growing influence in the Solomon Islands, after the small Pacific island nation signed a security pact with China. .
(With agency contributions)
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