Chinese warships operate near Australia prompting close monitoring

Chinese warships are operating near Australia, prompting the country to monitor their movements closely. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles described the situation as unusual but noted the ships are following international law. The Australian Department of Defense confirmed the presence of a Chinese naval task group, including various vessels, in waters northeast of Australia. The ships traveled through Southeast Asia before reaching the region. New Zealand's military is also monitoring the Chinese vessels alongside Australia. Recently, a Chinese fighter jet had an unsafe encounter with an Australian surveillance aircraft, but no injuries were reported.