China: Don’t worry about ‘spy ship’
A surveillance ship snooping on war games off the east coast of Australia is not of concern, China’s mouthpiece the Global Times says.
The ship is expected to move further south to monitor the US-Australian-led multinational exercise Talisman Sabre as it continues over the next two weeks.
It’s not the first time China’s navy has kept an eye on the exercise. Since 2017, it has deployed at least one vessel to monitor the exercises.
In a report overnight quoting Chen Hong from East China Normal University, the Global Times claimed the ships’ location was nothing out of the ordinary., and rebuked claims the move was “aggressive”.
“Such claims are baseless and unfounded, and ... the US and Australia should respect the right of other countries to exercise freedom of navigation and overflight in international seas and airspace,” the piece said.
More than 30,000 troops from 13 nations including Japan, South Korea, Germany, France and New Zealand will take part in the military exercises.
It’s a huge jump on the 2021 iteration of the war games exercise, which saw 17,000 troops from just seven nations, including Australia.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said officials had expected the People’s Liberation Army-navy to keep Talisman Sabre under a watchful eye.
“They are acting in accordance with international law and so this is to be completely expected,” Mr Marles said on Saturday.
“For us, it is really about our capability and our capacity and it is very much about our ability to work with other countries, our friends and allies, and particularly the United States.”
He denied the exercises were not a simulation for a war against China.
“You don't have a capable Defence Force unless you are match-fit and you are not match-fit unless you train,” Mr Marles said.
Lieutenant General Greg Bilton, chief of operations for the ADF, said on Friday officials had tried to communicate with the ship.
“We reached out on Thursday and hailed that vessel in the Coral Sea,” he said.
It’ll move down, I expect, and join the exercise – or be in the location of the exercise again. They’ve done this for a number of years, we’re well prepared for it.”
On Saturday, missiles were fired and tanks were driven along the Australian coastline as the war game officially kicked off.
Incredible photos showed the live fire exercise in action, with the US and Australia firing high powered missile launchers into the air.
The exercise will see a series of firsts, including Japanese forces firing a missile off the Australian coast for the first time in the nation’s military history.
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) conducted the live fire exercise of a Type 12 Surface-to-Ship Missile (SSM) off the coast of Jervis Bay as part of the exercises.
The missile, which didn’t contain any explosive material, was launched from a truck-mounted system at Beecroft Weapons Range and fired at an unmanned target.
Exercise Director Brigadier Damian Hill said it is Japan’s largest ever participation in Talisman Sabre.
“We undertake military training exercises with Japan and other partners regularly, but Exercise Talisman Sabre is a good opportunity to conduct more complex training activities together, like this missile firing,” he said.
The exercise will see a series of firsts, including Japanese forces firing a missile off the Australian coast for the first time in the nation’s military history.
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) conducted the live fire exercise of a Type 12 Surface-to-Ship Missile (SSM) off the coast of Jervis Bay on Saturday as part of Talisman Sabre exercises.
The missile, which didn’t contain any explosive material, was launched from a truck-mounted system at Beecroft Weapons Range and fired at an unmanned target.
