Awfully Close...
Warren Brown
In February three Chinese warships completed live-fire exercises in Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone, coming within about 150 nautical miles of Sydney. The event was 'not unprecedented but unusual', according to Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles. Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley seized on the issue: 'We need strong condemnation from the prime minister and strong leadership that this is absolutely not acceptable to fire flares at our aircraft'. The Australian Government did formally protest the lack of notice, although the exercises did not breach international law.
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