Three Chinese warships were reportedly seen 150 nautical miles east of Sydney, marking their longest excursion along Australia’s eastern coast. The Australian Navy is keeping a close watch on the vessels.

Two Australian warships are following the Chinese vessels. While the Australian Defence Ministry acknowledged that the warships were moving in international waters, it stated that their presence had still caused concern, as per the Financial Times.

A week ago, warships were sighted off Australia’s northeastern coast. The fleet includes a cruiser, Zunyi, a frigate, Hengyang and a supply vessel.

This development coincides with Admiral Samuel Paparo, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, visit to Australia. During his visit, he met Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles.

When questioned, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry stated that he was unaware of the situation and declined to provide any comments.

Tensions between China and Australia have escalated due to Beijing’s military activities in international waters. Recently, Marles alleged that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force fired flares when an Australian P-8 aircraft was just 30 meters away. The incident took place in the South China Sea. In response, China accused Australia of infringing on its regional rights, calling the P-8’s presence a "deliberate intrusion" into its airspace.

Beijing may have taken issue with Admiral Paparo’s remarks, where he described China’s military exercises near Taiwan as “dress rehearsals” for a potential blockade or invasion of the self-governed island.

Experts told the Financial Times that the presence of Chinese warships signals Beijing’s intent to showcase its military strength close to Australia.

For Australia, any response must carefully balance its sovereignty while managing relations with China. The country’s dependence on supply chains and Chinese forces near its coast highlights the need for increased defence spending. With national elections approaching, Australia’s relationship with China is likely to be a key issue in the foreign policy agendas of all political parties.

The incident in Australia is not an isolated case. On Tuesday, a Chinese military helicopter came dangerously close, just 10 feet, to a Philippine patrol aircraft in the South China Sea. The United States has strongly condemned the manoeuvre.

China, however, claimed that it had “expelled” foreign aircraft from its territory. According to CNN, the encounter occurred near the Scarborough Shoal, a disputed area within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone under China's control since 2012.