Australia to Conduct Exercises with China

Naval drills to go ahead.

Australia to Conduct Exercises with China

Days after reports indicated that Australia was canceling exercises with the Chinese navy on the heels of the U.S. Navy’s decision to sail a guided missile destroyer within 12 nautical miles of China’s artificial islands, the Defense Ministry says the exercises will be conducted as planned.

According to Australian Defense Minister Marise Payne, the HMAS Stuart and HMAS Arunta will visit China’s main South China Sea base of Zhanjiang in the southern province of Guangdong ahead of drills scheduled for early next week.

Payne said in a statement: “There have been no changes or delays to the schedule of the HMAS Arunta and HMAS Stuart since the United States activity in the South China Sea on October 27, 2015.”

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Source: maritime-executive.com