AUSTRALIA has delayed a South China Sea naval exercise with Chinese warships until the United States Navy has completed its push against China’s illegal sand islands.
The American Guided Missile Destroyer USS Lassen was supported by US Navy surveillance aircraft yesterday as it cruised inside the 20km ‘exclusion zone’ around the disputed Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands where China has built sand islands and air bases to back its illegal territorial claims over the disputed area.
The Australian Anzac Class frigates HMAS Arunta and HMAS Stuart were due to arrive in the South Korean port city of Pusan from Japan in coming days en-route to the southern Chinese port of Zhanjiang, the home of China’s South Sea Fleet.
That fleet includes China’s only aircraft carrier Liaoning as well as 10 destroyers and 17 frigates.
The ships were due to conduct exercises with Chinese warships during the next week.
The vessels are in Asia for several weeks conducting regional engagement missions and both were due to transit through the contested South China Sea region following their visit to Zhanjiang.
Both Arunta and the replenishment ship HMAS Sirius travelled through the South China Sea two weeks ago on their way to the region.
Defence Minister Marise Payne said the Australian ships were not involved in the US mission to test China’s resolve around the disputed islands.
“It is important to recognise that all states have a right under international law to freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight, including in the South China Sea. Australia strongly supports these rights,” Senator Payne said.
Australia has a legitimate interest in the maintenance of peace and stability, respect for international law, unimpeded trade and freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. Approximately sixty per cent of Australia’s exports pass through the South China Sea.”
About 30 per cent of world trade valued at some $7 trillion and including 50 per cent of global oil exports are shipped through the South China Sea.
Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Taiwan also have claims over territory in the South China Sea, but China claims most of the disputed area.
The US patrol is the first to move within 20km of the features since China began building the sand reefs in 2014.
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