Photo credit: www.yahoo.com
SYDNEY (Reuters) – The Chinese ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, stated on Friday that China sees no need to apologize for the recent military exercises conducted in international waters between Australia and New Zealand, which resulted in at least 49 flights being rerouted.
Both the Australian and New Zealand governments have expressed their concerns to Beijing regarding these live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea, emphasizing that they were not given sufficient advance notice prior to the operations carried out by the Chinese navy.
Ambassador Xiao defended the exercises, asserting that they were in accordance with international law and that China had provided notifications that followed established global protocols.
Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox
See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories.
In an interview with ABC News, Xiao remarked, “I don’t see why the Chinese side should feel the need to apologize for this.” He elaborated that different nations have varying procedures for military drills and that the Chinese naval announcements were deemed appropriate based on the scale and nature of the exercises.
The ambassador suggested that these drills posed no threat to Australia, which is one of China’s key trading partners, and indicated that Australia should anticipate more Chinese naval activity in the region going forward. “As a major power in this region, it’s normal for China to deploy its vessels for various activities,” he stated.
The New Zealand Defence Force reported that a frigate, cruiser, and replenishment vessel from the Chinese navy task group continued their journey westward across the Great Australian Bight on Friday.
Officials from Australia’s air traffic control shared that they were initially informed about the live-fire drills by a Virgin Australia pilot, who noted that emergency communications from the Chinese task group were broadcasted on a frequency mostly monitored by pilots.
David Johnston, the head of Australia’s Defence, told a parliamentary committee that the Defence Department was likely unaware of the drills until more than 30 minutes after they had commenced.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, facing scrutiny in the lead-up to a national election by May, has minimized the significance of the incident, reiterating that the drills took place in international waters without contravening any maritime laws.
However, the opposition Liberal-National coalition has criticized the situation, highlighting that it would be concerning if the Australian Defence Force had to be alerted by a commercial pilot about military activities.
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
Source
www.yahoo.com