On 28 February the Chinese Defence Ministry published the following media on-line article:
In response to four questions raised by journalists on the recent exercises by Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) warships in international waters near Australia and New Zealand, including the two countries’ claims that China did not notify them in time, a PLA spokesperson on Thursday reiterated that the PLA-N task group’s activities completely conform to international law. He responded by asking if Australia would send notifications in advance when it conducts military operations near China.
The PLA-N task groups’s drills became a hot topic at the regular press conference of the Chinese Defence Ministry on Thursday, the Global Times noted at the event. Four media outlets asked questions including whether China had previously conducted drills in international waters near Australia, whether more drills will be held in the future, and whether the drills will become routine.
Senior Colonel Wu Qian said that the Australian and New Zealand sides have repeatedly said that the Chinese activities completely conform to international law, and such statements speak volumes in themselves. A previous statement from the Chinese Defence Ministry clearly stated that the Chinese activities will not affect aviation safety.
Foreign media reports claimed that commercial aircraft diverted their flight paths to avoid the Chinese flotilla. The reports hyped the question of “how much warning Beijing gave about the exercises.” CNN reported that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday that while China’s drills complied with international law, Beijing “could have given more notice.” Judith Collins, the defence minister of New Zealand, said China’s warning should have come hours earlier. When asked about “if China will notify New Zealand or Australia in advance next time,” Wu said, “I’d also like to ask, when the Australian side conducts military activities near China, will it make notifications in advance?”
Zheng Hong, an expert at China’s Naval Research Academy, told the Global Times on Thursday that at present, international law does not provide specific regulations regarding the procedures, entities, and timing for notifying other parties when conducting naval gunfire exercises on the high seas. There are only international norms that have been formed through practice.
In practice, a country typically issues public notifications to prevent its military activities from affecting the safety of passing ships and aircraft. The scope of the area and the advance notice period primarily depend on the type of military activity. The recent naval gunfire exercise conducted by the PLA-N followed international norms and common practices of navies worldwide, Zheng said.
Notifications were sent through relevant public communication channels (VHF Channel 16), and multiple reminders were issued in advance to alert passing ships and aircraft, Zheng said, noting that the actions of the PLA-N ships were entirely professional and lawful.
Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, noted that some countries have repeatedly sent military aircraft and vessels to China’s doorstep, and they even made transits through the Taiwan Straits and trespasses into Chinese territorial waters and airspace of islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
It is these countries that should act with restraint, while the PLA-N’s activities are completely in line with international law, Song said. The Chinese Foreign Ministry also responded on Thursday to a question related to the PLA-N’s drills.
Responding to question regarding Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of New Zealand Winston Peters’ meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday, during which Peters raised concerns over China’s recent live-fire drills in the Pacific Ocean, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Thursday that China has previously introduced the situation and elaborated its positions on relevant issues multiple times.
“We are willing to strengthen communication with New Zealand, enhance mutual understanding, and promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations,” Lin said.
Source: PLA
