Defence Minister Richard Marles has stated that, currently, China is not spying on the large-scale military exercises known as Operation Talisman Sabre 2025, which involve over 30,000 troops from 19 nations, including Australia, and are occurring across the country until early August. However, he acknowledged the possibility that Chinese surveillance may arise in the future.
In an interview on Today, Marles assured that there is no Chinese observation of the exercises "at this moment," but indicated that such activity could occur in the coming days or weeks. He emphasised that nations have the right to observe military exercises, provided they do so in accordance with international law.
Marles also described the relationship between Australia and China as essential yet complicated, especially given Australia’s stance on Taiwan. Australia maintains that there should be no unilateral change to the status of Taiwan, which is claimed by China.
Recent tensions have been exacerbated by incidents involving live-fire exercises conducted by Chinese naval vessels near Australia’s coast. Marles expressed a desire for more notice regarding these activities, reflecting Australia’s expectations for communication from China. He reiterated that greater awareness would be preferred and highlighted that this concern has been shared with China during diplomatic discussions.
Further, Marles pointed out that Australian naval forces operate more frequently near Chinese waters rather than the other way around, particularly with freedom of movement exercises in the South China Sea. He stressed the importance of Australia’s commitment to upholding international maritime law and ensuring that the Royal Australian Navy can continue its operations without compromising its principles.
In summary, while China is not currently monitoring Australia’s military exercises, Defence Minister Marles remains vigilant and open to the possibility of such actions occurring in the future, underscoring the complexity of Australia-China relations amid geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.