How Chinese PLA’s latest forays off Australia cap years of maritime tensions
Australia’s growing presence in South China Sea and Taiwan Strait seen to underscore commitment to Western aims to curb China’s influence
The United States – Taiwan’s main international backer and arms supplier – has been most active in asserting “freedom of navigation” rights in the strait, with its allies including Australia, Germany and Canada also doing the same in recent years.
Most nations, including Australia and the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state, but Washington is opposed to any attempt to take the self-governed island by force and is committed to supplying it with weapons.
Australia does not have any territorial disputes with China, but its expanding naval and air presence in the region is seen to underscore its commitment to freedom of navigation and Indo-Pacific security as the West tries to counter China’s influence.
We examine some of the major incidents between China and Australia in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, as well as the recent Chinese navy actions off Australia, which put both Canberra and Wellington on alert and prompted the diversion of dozens of commercial flights.