Defence Minister Richard Marles said the HMAS Toowoomba – a long-range frigate – was conducting a diving operation in Japan’s exclusive economic zone on November 14 to clear fishing nets from its propellers when the incident occurred.
“While diving operations were under way a PLA-N destroyer (DDG-139) operating in the vicinity closed towards HMAS Toowoomba,” Marles said in a statement, referring to a ship of the People’s Liberation Army Navy.
He said despite the Australian vessel notifying the Chinese warship of the diving operation and requesting that it keep clear, the destroyer approached “at a closer range”.
“Soon after, it was detected operating its hull-mounted sonar in a manner that posed a risk to the safety of the Australian divers who were forced to exit the water.”
The conduct was “unsafe and unprofessional”, Marles said.
What a 5-nation military exercise says about US strategy in the Indo-Pacific
What a 5-nation military exercise says about US strategy in the Indo-Pacific
The Chinese embassy in Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Medical assessments found minor injuries to the divers likely caused by the destroyer’s sonar pulses, said the defence minister.
“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a professional and safe manner,” Marles said, adding that the safety and well-being of Australian military personnel was the government’s “utmost priority”.
The Diving Medical Advisory Committee, an independent London-based organisation, has warned that sonar sound waves can cause divers to suffer dizziness, hearing damage and organ damage.
The Australian ship had been in the waters as part of Operation Argos, enforcing sanctions against North Korea during a regional presence deployment, the navy had earlier said.
China has emerged in recent years as an increasingly assertive power in the Indo-Pacific region, including upgrading security ties with Solomon Islands in July.
Earlier this year, Australia – a close United States ally -conducted two weeks of war games involving more than 30,000 troops with the US in a show of force amid China’s growing regional influence.
“It was positive. We spoke [about] Premier Li coming to Australia next year now that the latest meetings have been resumed,” Albanese told reporters.
Albanese said he also asked Xi to remove remaining trade restrictions on Australian products.
China is Australia’s biggest trading partner but relations plummeted in 2020 when Beijing exerted major economic pressure – in what was seen as the rising Asian power sending a warning to other Western nations.
Australia’s then conservative government, in line with US stances, had barred Chinese tech giant Huawei from 5G contracts and called for an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19, which was first detected in China.
China responded by imposing punitive tariffs on a variety of Australian commodities including coal, barley and wine.
China has reversed course and removed most restrictions since Albanese, of the Labor Party, took office in May last year.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse
David Turner is a globe-trotting journalist who brings a global perspective to our readers. With a commitment to shedding light on international events, he explores complex geopolitical issues, offering a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
