Chinese experts have dismissed accusations from Australia that a Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) destroyer, the Sovremenny-class guided missile destroyer Ningbo, used sonar to force divers from an Australian frigate, HMAS Toowoomba, to exit the water. The experts argue that Australia’s statement is vague, one-sided, and seeks to amplify the “China threat” theory.
The incident reportedly occurred as the HMAS Toowoomba sailed in “international waters inside of Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone” en route to a scheduled port visit during “operations in support of United Nations sanctions enforcement in the region.” The Australian defense department claimed that the Chinese destroyer closed in on the HMAS Toowoomba while it was conducting diving operations to clear fishing nets entangled around its propellers.
Chinese naval expert Zhang Junshe criticized the Australian press release for not specifying the exact location of the incident. He noted that if the event occurred in waters west of Japan, China and Japan have not conducted maritime delimitation, potentially placing Japan’s self-proclaimed exclusive economic zone within waters administered by China.
Another Chinese military expert suggested that Australia intentionally omitted the location due to a guilty conscience and questioned whether the incident took place near China’s Diaoyu Islands or the island of Taiwan, insinuating that the Australian warship may have provoked China.
The experts emphasized the one-sided nature of the Australian press release, which did not mention the Chinese input during communications between the two ships. They suggested that the Australian ship likely ignored verbal warnings from the Chinese side, leading to the use of sonar as a means of communication and a warning.
The experts argued that the accusations from Australia, including claims of minor injuries to Australian divers caused by sonar pulses, lacked proof and were vague. They highlighted the normalcy of alert patrols by Chinese warplanes and warships on China’s doorstep and criticized countries like Australia for conducting close-in reconnaissance operations in the name of UN sanctions enforcement.