Singapore: Australia and the United Kingdom have conducted a Freedom of Navigation activity with their warships around disputed islands in the South China Sea with the Australia destroyer involved subsequently linking up with the UK’s carrier strike group currently in the Indo-Pacific.
The activity around the disputed Spratly islands involved the Royal Navy River-class Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Spey and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Hobart-class destroyer HMAS Sydney, according to a June 24 X post from the UK’s Permanent Joint Force Headquarters.
Australia has been very cautious in the past to disclose that it was operating close to the disputed islands, so the fact the UK made this public — presumably with Australia’s knowledge — is a notable change of posture.
Speaking to the media during a port visit in Singapore on June 27, Commander Ben Weller, commanding officer of the Sydney, confirmed that the ship conducted a transit of the Spratly islands as part of Australia’s routine presence in the South China Sea.
“We routinely operate in all areas of this part of the world, and we always ensure that we do so in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,” he said.
Weller said that the Sydney encountered the Chinese military during its transit in the South China Sea, although he added that his interactions with them were “safe and professional” when asked if there were any attempts to challenge his presence in the area or interfere with his voyage.
He noted, however, that Australian P-8A Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft had reported unsafe encounters with Chinese planes and warships. Australia had previously reported in February that a Chinese fighter jet had dropped chaff and flares in front of an Australian P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft in the South China Sea, while a Chinese warship had shone a laser at another Australian P-8A in the Arafura Sea.
