Category: People’s Liberation Army Navy

China Should ‘Behave Responsibly,’ Anand Says After Warship Nearly Hits US Ship During Canada-US Mission in Taiwan Strait

Defence Minister Anita Anand says China should act more “responsibly” after a People’s Liberation Navy warship aggressively came within 150 yards of colliding with an American ship during a Canada–U.S. joint sailing mission through the Taiwan Strait. “The Taiwan Strait is an international strait and we want to make sure that we are doing our best…


Ex-US Marine Pilot Faces Conspiracy Charges Over Chinese Pilot Training

A former U.S.-military pilot who was arrested in Australia in October is facing conspiracy charges over allegations he unlawfully exported defense services to China. Former fighter pilot Daniel Edmund Duggan is facing charges of conspiracy to unlawfully export defense services to China and violating the U.S. Arms Export Control Act, according to a 2017 indictment that was…


‘Groundless’: Cambodia Pans Reports of Chinese Naval Base on Its Shores

Cambodia’s foreign minister has rejected apparent “groundless accusations” that the Chinese regime is seeking to build a naval base on its shores—the second foreign naval base for Beijing. Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn told Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong that Cambodian authorities would abide by its constitution that does not permit a foreign military base or…


‘Aggressive Act’: Chinese Vessel Spying Off West Coast of Australia

Another Chinese spy ship has been spotted off the coast of Australia, this time near the town of Exmouth on the west, according to Defence Minister Peter Dutton. The minister revealed the ship was sighted around 6 a.m. on May 13, and that it has not contacted Australian authorities about its approach—a standard international protocol….


Beijing-Solomons Leaders Sign Pact to Allow Chinese Ships, Weapons Into South Pacific

Beijing and the Solomon Islands have signed-off on a controversial security pact that will allow the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to station armed police, troops, weaponry, and even naval ships on the Island—exacerbating existing concerns of Chinese militarisation in the region. On March 31, the Chinese Ambassador Li Ming, and Solomons’ Permanent Secretary of the…


Australian Defence Force Disputes Beijing’s Version of Laser Targeting Incident

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has sought to set the record straight after Chinese officials claimed Australian forces instigated a maritime incident which saw Chinese People’s Liberation Army Naval (PLAN) forces point a military-grade laser at an ADF surveillance plane. The incident occurred on Feb. 17, when two PLAN vessels, a Luyang-class guided-missile destroyer and…


Australian PM Wants ‘Full Investigation’ Into Chinese Warship’s Targeting of Airforce Plane

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is pushing hard for a “full investigation” into a maritime incident on Feb. 17 that saw a Chinese warship point a military-grade laser at an Australian surveillance plane—a hostile act normally preceding the firing of weapons, according to one defence expert. The Morrison government has reacted strongly to the incident,…


Chinese Military Build-up Aimed At Ousting US Forces from West Pacific: Think Tank

The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) expansion in the western Pacific is aimed at ousting the United States armed forces from the region in the long term so that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) can easily assert control and influence over neighbouring regions. The Sydney-based think tank, the Lowy Institute, has released a paper examining the…


Chinese Spy Ship Heading to Queensland Coast as US-Australian Wargames Begin

Defence forces are monitoring a Chinese surveillance vessel that looks set to arrive off the coast of the northern Australian state of Queensland as wargames involving U.S. and Australian defence forces begin. The Tiangwangxing, which translates to Uranus, is scheduled to arrive July 16 and will park itself just inside Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone—outside of…


The Implications of China’s PLA Declining to Meet With the US Military

Commentary Amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea, U.S. and Chinese military chiefs held talks on crisis communication via a teleconference on Oct. 28 and 29 last year. A subsequent Chinese report said that China would continue to act consistent with initiating “no conflict or confrontation.” The U.S. Department of Defense also mentioned the Crisis…