Chinese warships arrive in Sydney Harbour for stopover
The Australian government is playing down a visit of three Chinese warships and 700 sailors to Sydney Harbour, only 24 hours before the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
A People’s Liberation Army frigate, auxiliary replenishment ship, and an amphibious vessel are due to dock at Garden Island Navy base today, for a four-day stopover.
Government sources say the visit was planned in advance after the Chinese Navy Taskforce conducted anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden between Somalia and Yemen.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy held a similar visit to Australia in 2017.
Monday's arrival has raised eyebrows in some corners of the Australian Defence community, after Australian Navy aircraft were targeted with lasers in the South China Sea. Sources believe Chinese maritime militia vessels were responsible.
The docking of the warships in Sydney comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison visits the Solomon Islands to stave off China’s influence in the Pacific.
In a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, Mr Morrison announced $250 million in grants over a decade for urgent infrastructure projects in the country, as China attempts to pressure the Solomons to cut ties with Taiwan.
The Solomons is one of of a handful of Pacific nations that recognises Taiwan as an independent state, rather than a province of China.
China is urging the Solomons government to realign its diplomatic relationship from Taiwan to Bejing, and sign up to the multi-billion dollar Belt and Road Initiative.
Mr Sogavare said diplomatic relations is a sovereign decision for the Solomon Islands.