Australia, New Zealand monitor ‘unusual’ movement of three Chinese warships
Al JazeeraFEB 20
Australia, New Zealand Monitor Chinese Warships Near Sydney
Above: This photo, taken on Jan. 2, 2025, shows the 46th fleet of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy during a counterterrorism and antipiracy exercise. Image copyright: Zhang Dayu/Contributor/Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
China's expanding military footprint, from Ream Naval Base in Cambodia to the South China Sea, requires decisive action. The AUKUS (Australia, the UK, and the US) should deepen ties, deploy long-range strike systems, and boost maritime surveillance. Engaging Southeast Asia diplomatically while enhancing regional defense ensures a firm stance against China's assertiveness without sparking conflict.
Pro-China narrative
While Australia likes to appear as a defensive player cautiously dealing with an aggressive China, it's actually on the offensive with its Western allies. Its integration into US military command via AUKUS and hosting US forces in its territory. If Australia truly were a neutral actor in the region that only wanted peace, it wouldn't portray a routine Chinese naval drill as a suspicious operation — a decision clearly meant to provoke China and rile up the West.