Chinese warships have sailed west into the Great Australian Bight without giving Australia advance warning of their live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has accused the Coalition of deliberately stirring controversy over the issue, while she claims that China’s failure to provide notice is “unacceptable” and poses a risk to air travel.
During a Senate estimates hearing on Thursday, Wong condemned what she described as “gunboat diplomacy” and said that China’s actions were not consistent with international law. She warned that such behavior does not make Australia safer, while accusing the Coalition of prioritizing politics over national security.
The Chinese flotilla was detected in Australian waters without prior warning, forcing a Virgin flight to divert its course mid-flight due to radio warnings from the ships. This led to 49 commercial flights being diverted around the vessels over the weekend. New Zealand and Australia have raised concerns with China about this incident, citing disruptions to air travel and potential safety risks.
Wong met with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in South Africa and expressed concern over China’s actions, saying they did not meet “best practice” standards. New Zealand’s foreign minister, Winston Peters, has also discussed the issue with his Chinese counterpart, indicating that there is a need for improvement in their relationship.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/27/penny-wong-accuses-coalition-of-gunboat-diplomacy-in-senate-estimates-as-chinese-warships-sail-into-great-australian-bight