A Chinese intelligence ship tracked off the coast of Western Australia is an “act of aggression” by Beijing, Australian Minister for Defence Peter Dutton said yesterday, in the latest pre-election warning about China’s military intentions.
Australia had tracked the spy ship over the past week as it sailed past the Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt at Exmouth, which is used by Australian, US and allied submarines.
“I think it is an act of aggression. I think particularly because it has come so far south,” Dutton told a news conference in Perth.
Photo: AFP / Australian Defence Force
In the run-up to federal elections on Saturday next week, with the government trailing in opinion polls, Dutton has been warning voters not to trust the opposition Labor Party with Australia’s security.
Dutton said the vessel had been sailing close to the coastline for the “last week or so.”
Although he said that he could not reveal when Australia became aware of the ship for “operational reasons,” a defense ministry statement showed that it had been tracking the Dongdiao Class Auxiliary Intelligence ship named Haiwangxing since Friday last week.
Australia’s air force was monitoring the ship, which had entered the country’s exclusive economic zone, he said.
The zone extends beyond Australia’s territorial waters and the government has previously said it accepts that Chinese spy ships can operate there.
“Its intention, of course, is to collect intelligence right along the coastline, and it has been in close proximity to military and intelligence installations,” Dutton said.
He said it was “unusual” in the way that it had sailed so far south and was hugging the coastline.
He provided a map of the ship’s route and video of the vessel, saying he was speaking about the spy ship “because it is best to be honest and open with the Australian public.”
He also took the opportunity to warn voters not to support opposition Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese.
“It is a huge risk of this election not to go to Mr Albanese because they just don’t take defense seriously,” he said.
Asked about the ship sighting, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian (趙立堅) yesterday said he had no information about the specific situation, but that “China always abides by international law and international practice.”
“The relevant Australian politician should see the relevant situation objectively and calmly, and not make sensational remarks,” Zhao told reporters at a daily news briefing.
Additional reporting by AP
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to
IMPORTANT BACKER: China seeks to expel US influence from the Indo-Pacific region and supplant Washington as the global leader, MAC Minister Chiu Chui-cheng said China is preparing for war to seize Taiwan, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said in Washington on Friday, warning that Taiwan’s fall would trigger a regional “domino effect” endangering US security. In a speech titled “Maintaining the Peaceful and Stable Status Quo Across the Taiwan Strait is in Line with the Shared Interests of Taiwan and the United States,” Chiu said Taiwan’s strategic importance is “closely tied” to US interests. Geopolitically, Taiwan sits in a “core position” in the first island chain — an arc stretching from Japan, through Taiwan and the Philippines, to Borneo, which is shared by
RSS