For nearly a month, Australian forces were on high alert as a group of Chinese naval vessels made an unannounced journey around the continent. These ships sailed in and out of Australia’s exclusive economic zone, fired live shots near commercial airspace, causing dozens of civilian flights to reroute, and passed by Perth in Western Australia shortly after a visiting U.S. nuclear submarine docked at a nearby naval base. The flotilla finally headed north towards Indonesia. Despite Australian officials’ reassurances that the Chinese ships’ actions were legitimate under international law, the incident has prompted the nation to reassess its aging naval fleet, its reliance on the U.S. for military support, and the growing military presence of its largest trading partner, China.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/world/australia/china-warships-australia-aukus.html