
Sussan Ley says Anthony Albanese needs to do more to call out Chinese navy for circumnavigating Australia
Ms Ley said Australia wanted a 'respectful relationship' with China, but said the Prime Mininster needed to 'hold his ground'.
'We wish the Prime Minister well on his visit to China, and of course we want to see more trade and tourism,' she told Today on Thursday.
'I am disappointed that there wasn't an assurance that we wouldn't have a repeat of circumnavigation of our coastline, live firing, civilian aircraft having to be diverted out of that airspace.
'It's not good enough. We want a strong, respectful relationship, but that respect has to cut both ways.
'It's important to demand that accountability, it is important in those government-to-government conversations that the Prime Minister holds his ground.'
Mr Albanese raised the February circumnavigation and live-firing exercise with President Xi during his trip to China this week.
'I said what I said at the time, which was that it was within international law … but that we were concerned about the notice and the way that it happened, including the live-fire exercises,' Mr Albanese said.
'In response, of course, President Xi said that China engaged in exercises just as Australia engages in exercises.'
Defence Minister Richard Marles on Thursday repeated it was crucial China acted in accordance with international law.
'It is much more the case that the Royal Australian Navy is in the vicinity of China than the Chinese Navy is in the vicinity of Australia,' he told the ABC.
'We're not trying to establish some standard in the vicinity of Australia which would impede our work with the Royal Australian Navy in the vicinity of China, which is actually much more the case.
'We're not there gratuitously; we're there because that's where our sea lines of communication are.
'That's where we need to be asserting rules based order and freedom of navigation.
'It is really important that the Royal Australian Navy is able to continue its work there, so what we seek is that China . . . acts in accordance with international law.'
But Mr Ley took aim at Mr Marles, saying it was not his job to make excuses for China.
'Richard Marles' job is not to make excuses for the Chinese Communist Party, but to actually hold them to account,' she said.
Opposition spokesman James Paterson echoed Ms Ley, saying it was 'troubling' to see President Xi had played down Australia's concerns about his flotilla's journey.
'I'm pleased the Prime Minister raised it, but it is troubling to see that President Xi was dismissive about this, and that the People's Liberation Army Navy can be expected to conduct more live-firing exercises like this in the future in our region without notice, just like it does around the Philippines Vietnam ... or Taiwan,' he told told Sky News.
'We've seen really significant escalation of military exercises around Taiwan in a way that should be troubling to all Australians because what we believe in is the preservation of the peaceful status quo across the Taiwan Strait.
'It is critically important that the Prime Minister, I hope, has used the opportunity of meeting with China's leaders during this visit to reaffirm that with absolute clarity and unambiguously.'
Mr Paterson also claimed Mr Albanese's trip to China, which included retracing Gough Whitlam's steps at the Great Wall, was starting to look 'a little bit indulgent'.
'I do wonder whether a Gough Whitlam history tour on the Great Wall of China, whether a visit to Chengdu to pose with some pandas, and whether a hit of tennis is strictly necessary as part of a six-day visit to China, when there is so much else at stake in our other international relationships around the world,' he said.
'And frankly, I have to say that some of this is starting to look a little bit indulgent.'
Mr Albanese's trip has been centred on repairing business and trade ties after a diplomatic spat under the Morrison government triggered a series of damaging import bans on key commodities, which have since been lifted.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Perth Now
35 minutes ago
- Perth Now
China's premier proposes global co-operation on AI
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has proposed establishing an organisation to foster global co-operation on artificial intelligence, calling on countries to coordinate on the development and security of the fast-evolving technology. Speaking at the opening of the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai on Saturday, Li called AI a new engine for growth, but adding that governance is fragmented and emphasising the need for more coiordination between countries to form a globally recognised framework for AI. The three-day event brings together industry leaders and policymakers at a time of escalating technological competition between China and the United States - the world's two largest economies - with AI emerging as a key battleground. "Currently, overall global AI governance is still fragmented. Countries have great differences particularly in terms of areas such as regulatory concepts, institutional rules," Li said. "We should strengthen co-ordination to form a global AI governance framework that has broad consensus as soon as possible," he said. Washington has imposed export restrictions on advanced technology to China, including the most high-end AI chips made by companies such as Nvidia and chipmaking equipment, citing concerns that the technology could enhance China's military capabilities. Despite these restrictions, China has continued making AI breakthroughs that have drawn close scrutiny from US officials. Li did not name the United States in his speech, but he warned that AI could become an "exclusive game" for a few countries and companies, and said challenges included an insufficient supply of AI chips and restrictions on talent exchange. China wanted to share its development experience and products with other countries, especially those in the Global South, Li said. WAIC is an annual government-sponsored event in Shanghai that typically attracts major industry players, government officials, researchers and investors. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has in past years regularly appeared at the opening ceremony both in-person and via video, did not speak this year. Besides forums, the conference also features exhibitions where companies demonstrate their latest innovations. This year, more than 800 companies are participating, showcasing more than 3000 high-tech products, 40 large language models, 50 AI-powered devices and 60 intelligent robots, according to organisers. The exhibition features predominantly Chinese companies, including tech giants Huawei and Alibaba and startups such as humanoid robot maker Unitree. Western participants include Tesla, Alphabet and Amazon.


West Australian
11 hours ago
- West Australian
Michelle Grattan: Sussan Ley must fill net zero void if Coalition scraps 2050 target
There's no other way of looking at it: Sussan Ley faces a diabolical situation with the debate over whether the Coalition should abandon the 2050 net zero emissions target. The issue is a microcosm of her wider problems. The Nationals, the minor party in the Coalition, are determined to run their own race on most things. The Liberals have become akin to two parties, split between those eyeing urban seats and younger voters, and right-wingers reflecting the party's conservative grassroots. Nobody misses the contrast. The Albanese Government is beset by a host of actual issues around the transition to a clean energy economy. The renewables roll-out is not going as fast as desirable and is meeting with resistance in some communities. Energy costs are high. But such problems are not putting any pressure on Labor's unity. At the same time, the Opposition is fractured over an argument about a target that's a quarter of a century away, when who knows what the technological or political landscape will look like. For the Opposition, the internal debate about net zero is about symbols and signals, rather than substance. The net zero debate exploded within the Opposition this week with Barnaby Joyce's private member's Bill to scrap Australia's commitment to it. The timing, in Parliament's first week, was extraordinarily inconvenient for Ley. But if not now, it would have erupted later. On present indications, the Nationals appear likely to ditch the net zero commitment. David Littleproud, anxious to avoid the issuebecoming a threat to his leadership, is reading the party room and positioning himself to be in the anticipated majority. Asked on Thursday whether he supported net zero, Littleproud told the ABC, 'well, I have real concerns about it, to be candid. What net zero has become is about trying to achieve the impossible, rather than doing what's sensible.' But, he insisted, 'we're not climate deniers'. It is less clear how the debate will pan out in the Liberal Party, once the group under shadow energy minister Dan Tehan produces itsreport on energy and emissions-reduction policy. Liberal sources say the issue is now being driven by the party's grassroots, rather than the parliamentary party. Branches are throwingup motions to get rid of the 2050 target. The WA Liberal State council will debate a motion this weekend to drop the net zero commitment. The Queensland LNP organisation will consider its position next month. A few weeks ago, the South Australian Liberal State council rejected net zero. With a policy review underway, Ley and the parliamentary Liberals have left a vacuum on the issue. Some Liberals warn the parliamentarians risk being run over by the party outside Parliament. Others point out that on policy, the parliamentarians are independent of the organisation, which often comes up with right-wing motions. How should Ley best handle the situation? By filling the vacuum with a position sooner rather than later. That means accelerating the Tehan report. Beyond that, ideally she should be taking leadership on the issue herself. But is she in a strong enough position to do that? One idea being floated would be for the Liberals to retain the net zero target but extend the time frame. This wouldn't stop thecriticism about the shift. Whether the Coalition could stay as one if its two parties had different positions on net zero may be an open question but itcertainly would be messy. On the other side of politics, the Government is rapidly approaching a decision on another key target — the one Australia will put upinternationally for cutting emissions by 2035. Inevitably, this will be contentious. This target must be submitted by September. Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen has yet to receive advice on the target from the Climate Change Authority. The target is expected to be between 65 per cent and 75 per challenge will be to strike a target with sufficient ambition that doesn't alienate business and the regions. Next week the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Simon Stiell, will be in Canberra for talks. His comments will be carefully watched. Last year he told the Sydney Morning Herald, 'the world needs countries like Australia to take climate action and ambition to the next level'. Climate and energy issues will have a place at next month's economic reform roundtable. Bowen is organising two preliminary roundtables — on electricity, with energy user stakeholders, and on climate adaptation. He told The Conversation's podcast that adaptation will 'be an increasing focus of this Government and future governments because, tragically, the world has left it too late to avoid the impacts of climate change'. The Government is waiting, somewhat impatiently, for the decision on whether Australia will be given the nod to host next year's UN climate conference. The COP meeting, which would be in Adelaide in November 2026, is an enormous event to put on, so the decision is becoming urgent. Bowen says Australia already has the numbers over Turkey, the other contender. But 'one of the things about the process to decide COPs, I've learnt, is it's quite opaque and there's no particular timeline and no particular rules to the ballot. 'It's meant to work on a consensus, (a) gentlemanly sort of approach to say whoever loses will withdraw. That's not the way it's panning out. I've had multiple meetings with my Turkish counterpart to try to find a 'win-win' solution. We haven't been able to find that yet.' Stiell's trip includes Turkey as well as Australia. Bowen will hope he may provide some clarity, when they meet, about how the 'opaque' process of assigning the COP meeting is going. Bowen will be emphasising how important the proposed co-hosting COP with the Pacific is to the region, with climate change already an existential issue for many Pacific countries.

Sydney Morning Herald
19 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Inside Australia's biggest war games, Exercise Talisman Sabre
It's a sweltering morning in the top end of Australia, where thousands of military personnel have swarmed Darwin's coastline for the nation's largest war games. Members of the US Coast Guard bring reporters through Darwin's turquoise waters off Larrakeyah Barracks on a fast ride through the security zone. There's chatter about the clear differences between how Australia and the US protect their coasts. Military vessels circle the water, a heavy presence as ordinary boaties cruise through. Further along the coast, a group of soldiers has set up to practise firing. There, they wait for civilian watercraft to pass through, the boaties seemingly unperturbed by the military. For many Darwin residents, the huge influx of armed forces to the region is not a surprise. And many of the troops have been here before. But some say this year's Talisman Sabre, the 11th iteration of the training exercise comprising mainly Australian Defence Personnel and members of the US military, is different. There's a bigger focus on 'the enemy'. Questions swirl in the political bubble about potential threats to Australia. Talisman Sabre kicked off as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Albanese has vowed not to back down on security measures, such as taking back control of the Port of Darwin, controversially leased by Chinese firm Landbridge. Uneasiness hangs in the air in Darwin as journalists ask defence commanders questions regarding China surveilling the war games. The Chinese have routinely monitored military training from afar in recent years. Royal Australian Air Force Commander Louise DesJardins tells a media pack that while the ADF keeps an eye on maritime approaches, 'at the moment we're not happy to discuss the surveillance'. The ADF consistently pushes the message that the war games are not, in fact, targeted at any particular country, and are more for maintaining peace. US Brigadier-General Shannon Smith, serving with one of Australia's steadfast allies, points to the massive scope of the region and what he says are the complexities of international relationships. 'I've seen nothing but a consistent messaging from our administration and our national defence strategy that we're committed to a rule-based order across the globe,' he says. But reporters ask the troops if they feel prepared for war. Many say they are. They acknowledge what they've learned in previous exercises, sometimes serving on 'attack' teams, other times in defence. This stifling day in Darwin, Mark Hazlett, a captain in the Australian Army's reserve 31st/42nd Battalion of the Royal Queensland Regiment, is serving in the 'enemy' team. For this exercise, both the attack and defence teams are operating in a fictitious country, 'Belesia'. Strategies employed are 'open source, obviously derived from our knowledge of the operation procedures and tactics from world actors', Hazlett says. His personnel are tasked with testing the contingencies of the defence team, who represent Australia and its allies. 'That includes having a look at the vulnerabilities, and trying to exploit those as enemy combatants,' he says. Soldiers get to practise detention, handling skills, vehicle checkpoints, and other tactics with personnel from the US, Britain and Canada. For the first time, the exercises have stretched to Papua New Guinea and Christmas Island. Back home, Hazlett is a sergeant with the Queensland Police Service based outside Cairns. He's been with the QPS for more than a decade. Many of the things he's done with the army reserves, however, are difficult to explain to the civilian world – like how to stop his hands trembling when he puts a detonator into a claymore mine. 'It's a nerve-racking thing as it is. You've always got that feeling you've got to ground yourself ... that's why you hold it like a cigarette,' he says. 'But being able to then roll that back and set it off, is an incredible experience ... you're training to be a real soldier. You are a real soldier.' Taine Waerea, a private who recently joined from Queensland, says he always wanted to wear the greens. Loading After months in uniform, he remembers setting up his first claymore. 'I'm an electrician ... I don't get to be trained in such weapons systems I get to be trained in here. I don't get to blow things up,' he laughs. As members of the 31st/42nd Battalion sit near the water for a brief break, Lance Corporal Selby Anderson and his sister Private Brooke Anderson, both train drivers in Queensland, reflect on their careers. For them, military service is personal – their grandfather served in the Royal Australian Navy in Vietnam aboard multiple ships. The pair talk of army helicopters and vehicles, but also giving back to the community. All those who spoke to this masthead are confident when they say Australia is prepared for any war. 'I'll leave the politics to the politicians,' Hazlett says. 'We get a set of orders, and we plan to those orders. For this, we plan to the tactics that we know. We train and we continue to train. 'We will hopefully continue to operate in peace time.'