China recently held naval exercises in waters south of the Australian island of Tasmania, near New Zealand, for the first time.
When asked about their presence, China’s ambassador to Wellington replied with a question: “Why is the New Zealand fleet near the Taiwan Strait?”
Ambassador Wang Xiaolong, was questioning the presence of New Zealand and Australian naval vessels in the vicinity of the island that Beijing claims as its own. Presumably, the presence of Chinese vessels near Australia was a reminder to Canberra that even Beijing has moves to show and games to play.
The International Law of the Sea (which China uses and dismisses as it pleases) also holds that barring territorial seas, much of the world’s oceans are global commons where there is freedom of transit.
Indian naval experts say it is quite common these days for Chinese naval ships to show up in various corners of the world.
“From the First Island Chain in the South China Sea which Beijing sees as its backyard, the Chinese Navy is now venturing beyond the Second Island Chain as far as Hawaii,” says Capt DK Sharma (Retd), former Indian Navy spokesman. “And the fact that they are now seen off Australia, is a reminder and a warning of their growing capabilities.”
China’s display of naval muscle appears consistent with the phenomenal expansion of its fleets, accompanied by bases and facilities.
Today, the Chinese navy has a permanent presence in the Indian Ocean, has bases and facilities stretching from Gwadar in Pakistan to Mogadishu in Somalia, and is known to be seeking more facilities in the Indian Ocean.
Last weekend’s show of the flag near Tasmania, may have also been “strategic signalling” by China, says Malcolm Davis of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
He was quoted by the South China Morning Post as saying that Beijing was telling Canberra that it could project “naval capabilities against Australia at a time of its choosing.”
Australia is a member of the AUKUS and is to receive nuclear powered submarines from the US. China has already described AUKUS as “Cold War thinking”, and warned that it will fuel military confrontation.
It has even warned countries against joining the Pillar 2 of AUKUS, which is about collaboration in quantum computing, AI and hypersonic weapons. The exercise off Tasmania therefore should not be seen as a one-off event, there is a larger purpose which is not only about building China’s capacities but also taking on whatever Donald Trump may have in store for them.
