MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2022) A ship believed to be collecting intelligence for China has been detected "hugging" the Western Australian coastline near the city of Broom for about one week in close proximity to Australian military facilities, Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton said on Friday.
"Its intention of course is to collect intelligence right along the coastline, it has been in close proximity to military and intelligence installations on the west coast of Australia," Dutton told a briefing.
The defense minister said it was unusual that the ship went so far south, calling it "an aggressive act."
"We'll continue to monitor that. We have obviously had a number of aircraft involved in the surveillance of this particular vessel," Dutton added.
Beijing-Canberra relations have complicated in recent weeks. On April 19, China and the Solomon Islands signed a framework agreement on security cooperation. Australian officials accused the Solomon Islands of a lack of transparency for fear of China's growing influence. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the construction of a Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands will be a "red line" for Canberra and Washington.
Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Sogavare, in turn, accused Australia of hypocrisy, stressing that Canberra had not discussed the AUKUS deal with the neighboring countries either.
