Navy monitors Chinese vessels spotted off Australian coast

As our national anthem proudly declares, Australia is girt by sea. Being surrounded by water low in the southern hemisphere brings a range of economic and political benefits and drawbacks. Being a vast island nation also means that Australia has one of the largest, most challenging border environments in the world. Australian Border Force statistics show our border includes approximately 37,000 km of coastline – much of it remote – and an offshore* zone covering 10 million sqkm of ocean.

So when three Chinese naval vessels were spotted 150 nautical miles* east of Sydney on Wednesday, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) naturally sent two Australian navy vessels to take a closer look – not least because it is the second time within a week that Chinese vessels have been spotted off Australia’s coast.

Deputy Prime Minister Marles said on Thursday the activity was “unusual”.

“We are keeping close watch on them, and we will be making sure that we watch every move and whenever this mission is over on the part of the Chinese task group, we will assess everything we have seen to make a proper assessment of exactly what they were trying to achieve through this mission,” Mr Marles told Sky News.

Mr Marles, who is also Defence Minister, added that the ships were “not doing anything that is contrary* to international law”.

“And just as they have a right to be in international waters, which is what they are doing, we have a right to be prudent* and to make sure that we are surveilling them, which is what we are doing,” he said.

In its update, Defence said it “routinely monitors” all ship activity in Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and that Australia “respects” the internationally recognised right to freedom of navigation*.

WHAT ARE THE CHINESE SHIPS DOING HERE?
Mr Marles said Defence was trying to figure out what “the Chinese are seeking to achieve”.

“They’re not a threat in the sense that they are engaging in accordance* with international law,” he said.

“But it is important that we understand exactly what is happening here.

“We will make sure that we look at every move they make to have a very clear assessment of what … the Chinese are seeking to achieve.”

The news comes almost one week after the ADF moved navy and air force vehicles to monitor two Chinese Army-navy frigates* and a replenishment vessel* navigating in Australia’s exclusive economic zone in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland.

WHAT ARE INTERNATIONAL WATERS?
According to the Royal Museums Greenwich, about two-thirds of the world’s oceans are considered international waters – that is, they aren’t governed by any one country or territory. Instead, international waters, also known as the high seas, are subject to a system of rules and conventions agreed upon by countries across the globe called maritime law.

THE RIGHTS OF MARITIME LAW
Maritime law includes regulations around what can and can’t be done on international waters, covering a range of issues including piracy, navigation, fishing and conservation. But it also includes a very important principle – “the freedom of the high seas.”

“This principle means that all countries have the right to use the oceans for navigation, fishing and other activities without interference from others,” the Royal Museums Greenwich site states. “The ocean is free for all.”

WHAT IS THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE?
According to the Australian Government’s Geoscience Australia site, Australia has what is known as an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles beyond its territorial sea, where it has sovereign rights* for exploring and exploiting resources as well as the sole responsibility for conservation and management of the marine environment.

Beyond the EEZ, vessels and countries enter international waters and become subject to maritime law.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• offshore: at sea some distance from the shore
• nautical miles: a unit of measurement used at sea, with one nautical mile equal to about 1,852 metres
• contrary: going against something
• prudent: acting with care and thought for the future
• freedom of navigation: the right to travel freely across international waters
• accordance: following or obeying a rule
• frigates: a type of warship that is usually smaller and faster than other types of warships
• replenishment vessel: a naval support ship that can transfer supplies to other warships
• sovereign rights: where a country has the authority to govern

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QUICK QUIZ
Where were the Chinese ships spotted?
What portion of the world’s ocean is considered international waters?
What does EEZ stand for?
How many nautical miles beyond Australia’s territorial sea does its EEZ extend?
What does “the freedom of the high seas” represent?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Why have rules?
Why do you think that there are rules about international waters? Use information from the story to help you write as many reasons as you can think of.

Time: allow at least 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Civics and Citizenship

2. Extension
How do you think our government would react if it were American ships that were spotted, rather than Chinese? Write a detailed explanation to answer this question.

Time: allow at least 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Civics and Citizenship

VCOP ACTIVITY
BAB it!
Show you have read and understood the article by writing three sentences using the connectives “because’’, “and”, and “but” (BAB). Your sentences can share different facts or opinions, or the same ones but written about in different ways.