Chinese Navy Cruises Around Australia and Sends a Message to the World

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy Fuchi-class replenishment vessel Weishanhu in the Solomon Sea. Courtesy of the Australian Defence of Department

Commentary

A Chinese naval task group recently completed a first-of-its-kind journey around much of Australia—it was sending a clear message regarding the strategic presence of the Chinese navy.

The Australians named it Task Group 107, while one naval expert coined it “Operation Tasmanian Dragon.“ This name is appropriate since China has begun to copy U.S. naming conventions for military operations (such as ”Joint Sword“ for exercises simulating a quarantine of Taiwan). The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) assemblage consisted of the Type 55 destroyer Chinese Navy Ship (CNS) Zunyi, the Type 54A frigate CNS Hengyang, and the large replenishment ship CNS Weishanhu.

The three-ship formation had significant capabilities. The Zunyi is considered larger than the American Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. The Hengyang did not have an equivalent in the U.S. Navy until the Constellation-class program delivered its first vessel. There is no Weishanhu equivalent, as the U.S. Navy no longer has a medium-speed, large replenishment ship in commission.

The Chinese formation apparently arrived with no prior notice along the east coast of Australia, conducted a weapons exercise in international waters between Australia and New Zealand, and then continued south of Australia before heading north along the west coast.

Glaring Gaps in Situational Awareness

China’s flotilla arrived as a strategic surprise.

Michael Shoebridge, the founder and director of Strategic Analysis Australia, a Canberra-based defense and security think tank, shared his recent article about the episode with The Epoch Times.

“The Chinese military’s no-notice live firing between Australia and New Zealand is bringing deliberate and dangerous behavior into our peaceful neighborhood. Of course, China is telling everyone this is all good because it’s not illegal, but it’s odd to hear our prime minister and defense minister parroting their words,” Shoebrige wrote in the article.

Shoebridge also noted that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese asserted that the Australian military was doing an “unprecedented job monitoring these three warships.” However, it appears that the live-fire exercise was reported by an airline pilot, not by the Australian or New Zealand militaries or their national intelligence and surveillance capabilities.

“More disturbingly, hours after the drill, the chief of Australia’s military told us it was not clear if any live firing had actually occurred. What does ‘watching every move’ mean if you don’t know if warships fired their guns or launched missiles?” Sheobridge noted.

Shoebridge also observed that monitoring such a Chinese exercise would be routine for countries such as South Korea or Japan.

This Chinese naval task group demonstrated a vulnerability in Australia and New Zealand, highlighting that neither country possesses decisive and pervasive intelligence and surveillance capabilities to monitor, detect, and analyze maritime activity in their approaches and littorals.

Reminiscent of America’s Great White Fleet Voyage

Brent Sadler, a senior research fellow for naval warfare and advanced technology at The Heritage Foundation and a retired U.S. Navy captain, was interviewed by The Epoch Times about the Chinese naval expedition around Australia.

Sadler said his “concern was less about the legality of the PLAN’s activities as it was about the location and drills conducted there.”

“The PLAN is flexing its muscles and building its familiarity with distant seas. This begs the realization that the PLAN is a blue-water modern navy—something too many still resist acknowledging to their own risk,” he added.

In some ways, the Chinese navy borrowed a page from President Teddy Roosevelt’s playbook. Between 1907 and 1909, Roosevelt sent the U.S. Navy’s “Great White Fleet” worldwide to demonstrate America’s rise to international power status. The journey was significant for the U.S. Navy and the United States, as the fleet’s 16 battleships and numerous support ships sent a message of American goodwill and strength while providing valuable experience in power projection.

As Sadler referenced, this current voyage demonstrated that the PLAN is now an ocean-going navy capable of moving at will around the world.

Australia and New Zealand Lag in Defense Spending

The PLAN’s foray was a wake-up call to the region.

According to Grant Newsham, a retired Marine Corps colonel and former foreign service officer, the Chinese message toward Australia and New Zealand is clear: “It is a demonstration of contempt and intimidation toward both countries. And a sign of what’s in store for both of them.”

He added: “There’s more to come and more often. And especially up in the Southwest and South Pacific—on the approaches to Australia and New Zealand.”

It appears that the arrival of the Chinese flotilla was a surprise to both nations.

The atrophy in defense spending by New Zealand and Australia was starkly demonstrated by this event.

“This PLAN cruise really highlighted, if any more evidence was needed, how diminished Australian and New Zealand defense capabilities have become,” Newsham said. “In fact, New Zealand is basically defenseless. Australia is a little better, but that’s not saying so much.”

Australia spends about 2 percent of its gross domestic product on defense, while New Zealand spends 1.2 percent, a figure lower than even Canada’s.

“To Australia’s chagrin, they really have no option but to rely on the U.S. for protection,” Newsham said. “Though I suppose they could surrender to China .... I don’t know how much New Zealand even cares.”

This Chinese naval mission has exposed a crucial strategic vulnerability in the Indo–Pacific. Whether Australia and New Zealand heed this wake-up call remains to be seen.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.