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Australia is monitoring a Chinese research boat off the coast of southern Australia.
The Chief of Joint Operations of Australia, Vice Admiral Justin Jones confirmed that the Ship of Science and Water Engineering of the Chinese Government so suo Yi Hao had entered the exclusive economic zone of Australia on Thursday, March 27.
“The ship is currently operating approximately 460 nautical miles (852 kilometers) west to the southwest of Adelaide,” he said.
“The defense routinely monitors maritime traffic in the maritime approaches of Australia.
“The defense will continue to monitor the suo Yi Hao while remaining close to the maritime approaches of Australia.”
On Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was asked on Monday about the reports that a “spy boat” tracked the deep -waters of Australia during a press conference in Perth.
It was suspected that the such suo Yi Hao collected intelligence after performing a joint exploration exercise with New Zealand, according to Sky News.
Albanese confirmed that the ship had been in New Zealand in a joint research operation and now traveled along the Australian coast.
SBS News understands that the ship departed from Wellington on March 23 and has not reported any intention to visit an Australian port.
It is directed west and currently not in the exclusive area of Australia.
The ship is expected to return to China on April 30.
It is understood that the container previously traveled the Bass Strait in January 2023.
“This is not the first time that a similar ship has been around the Australian coast. It happened in 2020, for example, just to set an example,” Albanese told journalists.
“Australia, as expected, is monitoring this.”
Albanese did not comment on what monitoring meant, but said that the government had “all confidence in defense agencies.”
“For obvious reasons, we will not transmit everything we are doing. But we monitor this like us,” he said.
Albanese said that, of course, “I would prefer not to be there.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that the Chinese ship had been in New Zealand in a joint research operation and now traveling along the coast of Australia. Fountain: AAPA / Lukas Coch
“But we live in circumstances in which, just as Australia has boats in the South China Sea and the ships in the Taiwan Strait and a variety of areas, this ship is there,” said Albanese.
“What our task is to do is make sure that we represent the national interests of Australia. We do it every day. And I have all the confidence in our defense force and our security agencies to do exactly that.”
A spokesman for the Minister of Internal Affairs, Tony Burke, said the authorities are aware of the movements of the boat.
“We know exactly where it is; we know the direction in which it is directed and the speed that is moving in that direction,” they said.
Earl this year, Albanese was asked why a virgin pilot had been the first to alert the authorities to .
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