Chinese warships cause surprise in Sydney Harbour
Australians enjoying a sunny winter morning were shocked by the sight of three Chinese warships steaming into Sydney Harbour yesterday, forcing the prime minister to reassure jittery residents.
Amid heightened concern about Beijing’s growing clout and military muscle-flexing, the appearance of a Chinese flagged task group and around 700 sailors came as a surprise.
It also came as Prime Minister Scott Morrison was away on a visit to the Solomon Islands, a key player in the South Pacific that China is hoping to woo away from its recognition of Taiwan.
“It may have been a surprise to others, but it certainly wasn’t a surprise to the government,” Morrison told reporters in the Solomons capital Honiara when asked about the Chinese naval visit. “We have known about that for some time.”
Morrison described the port call as a “reciprocal visit, because Australian naval vessels have visited China”.
“They were returning after a counter drug trafficking operation in the Middle East.”
The vessels appeared to be the Kunlun Shan, an amphibious landing ship; the Luoma Lake, a replenishment ship; and the Xuchang, a modern frigate that is believed to be fitted with surface-to-air and anti-submarine missile systems.
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