Chinese 'spy ships' spotted off Australia's Coast

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made it clear—he’d “prefer it” if a Chinese research vessel wasn’t hanging around in Australian waters.

The ship in question, the Tan Suo Yi Hao, is currently off the South Australian coast in the Great Australian Bight. It’s a Chinese mothership that carries smaller submarines and is reportedly used for both scientific research and intelligence collection.

Albanese confirmed that the Australian Defence Force is monitoring the situation, but he wasn’t giving away too many details—“for obvious reasons”.

“I would prefer that it wasn’t there,” he said while speaking in Perth today. “But just as Australia has vessels in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, this vessel is here. We’re keeping an eye on it.”

According to Albanese, the ship came from New Zealand and is expected to head back to China by going the long way around.

This all comes just a month after a fleet of Chinese navy ships unexpectedly sailed around Australia. That situation got even more tense when Australia raised concerns over a live-fire drill alert, but China dismissed the concerns as “exaggerated”.

At the time, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian pushed back, saying, “Australia’s claims are completely unfounded. China’s actions are in full compliance with international law.”

Despite the rising tensions, Albanese says he has full confidence in Australia’s armed forces and security agencies to handle the situation.

“What our task is to do, is to make sure that we represent Australia’s national interest,” he said. “We do that each and every day.”

The Department of Defence has been contacted for further comment, but for now, Australia is keeping a close watch.