China vessels encounter Australian warships

MELBOURNE: Chinese and Australian naval vessels had an “encounter” in the South China Sea this week, and China acted professionally and lawfully, its defence ministry said, rejecting reports China challenged Australian warships.

The Australian Defence Department confirmed three ships had recently travelled to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam but declined to comment on “operational details related to ships transiting the South China Sea”. The Australian Broadcasting Corp cited one official saying the exchanges with the Chinese navy were polite but “robust”.

China’s Defence Ministry said in a statement the reports in Australian media “did not accord with the facts”. “The Chinese side’s ships used professional language to communicate with the Australian side, and their operations were lawful, in compliance, professional and safe,” it said.

The “encounter” happened on Sunday, it said. China recently completed extensive military exercises in the South China Sea, where its claims are hotly disputed by Vietnam as well as the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei. Taiwan also lays claim to most of the sea.