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Key Points
- The Australian government has condemned actions by a Chinese warship.
- Richard Marles said naval officers were subjected to “unsafe” practices when they dove in the international waters.
- The HMAS Toowoomba encountered the People’s Liberation Army-Navy Destroyer on Tuesday.
The Toowoomba was in international waters in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, having worked to enforce United Nations sanctions, and was on its way to a scheduled port visit when fishing nets became entangled around its propellers.
Acting prime minister Richard Marles has confirmed that Australian crew were subjected to harmful sonar pulses. Source: AAP / Lukas Coch
In a statement, Marles said the ship stopped so naval divers could clear the nets and its crew communicated what it was doing through the usual maritime channels.
Marles said the Chinese vessel acknowledged the message but came even closer, and was soon after detected operating its hull-mounted sonar, posing a risk to the Australian divers’ safety.
“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a professional and safe manner.”
There has been a thawing of relations between Australia and China since Labor took office in 2022. Source: Getty / Yan Yan/Xinhua
The defence force has for decades undertaken surveillance in the region and does so in accordance with international law, Mr Marles said.
The incident comes as relations stabilise between Australia and China following recent meetings between Anthony Albanese and Xi Jinping and China’s easing of punitive trade sanctions on Australian exports.
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