The Australian government has accused China of unprofessional and irresponsible behavior at sea following a dangerous incident involving the navies of both countries and the use of a Chinese destroyer’s sonar against Australian divers. Vice Premier of Australia Richard Marles expressed his concerns, stating that the Australian government has informed Chinese authorities “about its serious concerns regarding the unsafe and unprofessional behavior of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) destroyer towards the Australian military ship HMAS Toowoomba.” Marles emphasized that Australia has been monitoring the maritime space in the region “in accordance with international law” for decades and expects all states, including China, to “safely” and “professionally” manage their armed forces.
The incident in question occurred on November 14, 2023, in international waters within Japan’s exclusive economic zone. The Australian military ship had “stopped to clear its propellers from fishing nets,” having given prior notice through standard communication channels, Marles reported.
“However, during the diving operation, the PLAN destroyer approached it, which, as later revealed, used its onboard sonar to disrupt the Australian divers and forced them out of the water,” he said.
According to the Vice Premier, as a result of the actions of the Chinese ship’s crew, the Australian divers suffered minor injuries caused by the impact of hydroacoustic pulses.
Prior to this, Paul Dibb, an expert from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and professor at the Australian National University, stated that if Australia were to be involved in an armed conflict between the US and China, it could target Chinese bases in the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Earlier, China accused Australia of attempting to undermine Beijing’s ties in the Pacific region.
