Chinese warships with ‘extremely capable' missiles alarm New Zealand and Australia
Chinese warships conducting unusual exercises near Tasmania are armed with 'extremely capable' long-range ballistic missiles, New Zealand's defence minister warned.
The three ships, known as Taskgroup 107, undertook live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea on Friday and Saturday, triggering a diplomatic row and forcing commercial airlines to divert flights mid-air.
Judith Collins, the New Zealand defence minister, said: 'We've certainly never seen a task group of this capability undertaking this sort of work, it's certainly a change.
'The weapons they have are extremely capable. One has 112 vertical launch cells and has reported anti-ship ballistic missile range of 540 nautical miles.'
The drills happened much further south than usual, and come amid tensions over Taiwan and in the South Pacific, where Western influence is waning in the face of a resurgent China.
Australia and New Zealand are tracking the vessels, which are 320 miles east of Tasmania but came within 150 miles of Sydney last week.
The Australian Defence Force said the formation consisted of a frigate, a cruiser and a replenishment vessel, and had been travelling down the coast of Australia since mid-February.
The ships have not crossed into Canberra's territorial waters – 12 nautical miles from the coastline – but are inside Australia's exclusive economic zone.
Wellington and Canberra both said the live fire actions happened at much shorter notice than would be expected.
'They're not telling us what they're planning,' Ms Collins said on Monday. 'We're taking them at face value that they are undertaking normal transits when it comes to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, that they're not breaking the law.
'But as we've said, it is always better to give a lot more notice when it comes to live firing.'
After Australia's prime minister said it would have been 'appropriate to have given more warning', a spokesman at China's defence ministry claimed Canberra had 'deliberately hyped it up' with an account that was 'completely inconsistent with the facts'.
Ms Collins said the latest war exercises were a sharp demonstration that New Zealand needed to 'clearly step up our game'.
'I think we should be very aware that we live in a world of increasing geopolitical competition, that the seabed of the Pacific Ocean is viewed by some countries as an area of enormous resource.'
'We have to be aware that we are in a situation … in the Indo-Pacific region, of sitting on an enormous treasury with a very small lock to protect it.'
Though Australia and New Zealand are dependent on Chinese trade, they are at odds on strategic issues including the South China Sea, Chinese influence in the South Pacific and the Taiwan Strait.
Analysts said the latest war exercises, conducted some 6,000 miles from China, were 'very unusual'.
'This is a very unusual demonstration of force so far from China's mainland, without clear messaging from China about its intentions towards New Zealand and Australia,' Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, told Bloomberg.
'[It] disrupted civil aviation and raises serious doubts about the credibility of Beijing's rhetoric and assertion that it is not a threat to the peace and stability of the entire Pacific.'
China is increasingly projecting its military power in the Indo-Pacific region, where it has been courting strategic new partners and potentially lucrative resources.
The Cook Islands, which operates in 'free association' with Wellington and whose citizens hold New Zealand passports, struck a controversial 'strategic partnership' deal with Beijing earlier this month.
It does not include defence, but instead centres on economic, infrastructure and maritime, and seabed mineral development.
New Zealand said it was not consulted on the deal, and warned that it could have 'significant security implications' for the region.
Winston Peters, New Zealand's foreign minister, said he would raise the country's concerns during a three-day trip to China set to begin on Tuesday.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Iran-Israel tensions remain high as conflict enters second day
Tensions between Israel and Iran remained high on the second day of open conflict on Saturday, with neither side showing willingness to back down despite mounting international pressure to de-escalate. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a sharp warning to Iran and its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, threatening severe consequences if attacks on Israeli civilian areas continue. "If Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli civilian population, Tehran will burn," Katz said on Saturday in a statement. His comments came after overnight Iranian missile strikes reportedly killed at least three people and injured dozens in Israel. Iran's waves of ballistic missiles and drone strikes on Israel are viewed as retaliation for Israel's large-scale airstrikes on Friday, which targeted the country's nuclear sites, senior military officials and top scientists. On Saturday, Iranian officials confirmed the deaths of three more nuclear scientists and another two generals in the Israeli strikes. At least 78 people were killed in the strikes - including the scientists and senior military officials - and more than 320 people were injured, Iranian officials said. Iran has also issued warnings to Western powers Iranian media outlets, meanwhile, reported that Tehran has notified France, Britain and the United States of potential future strikes should they continue supporting Israel's defence efforts. Countries involved in Israel's defence against Iranian attacks would therefore have to expect attacks themselves, according to the Iranian leadership. Regional military bases of allied states and ships in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea were named as possible targets in the media reports. Iran shoots down drones near border with Azerbaijan and Turkey Iran's military reportedly shot down drones near its north-western border, according to state media on Saturday. The incident occurred close to the borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey, the report said. Several Iranian cities came under heavy shelling in overnight attacks. In central and north-eastern Tehran, explosions and sustained anti-aircraft fire were heard for hours, local media and eyewitnesses reported. The Israeli military said it had struck dozens of targets in Iran, including infrastructure related to surface-to-air missile systems. It said the strikes aimed to weaken Iranian air defences near Tehran, allowing Israeli aircraft greater operational freedom in the area. Explosions near Tel Aviv An Israeli military spokesperson said most Iranian missiles launched overnight were intercepted. Unconfirmed reports suggest US forces are assisting Israel with missile defence operations. Despite interceptions, missile debris caused damage in central Israel, including the Tel Aviv area, where several buildings were badly affected. On Saturday, the Israeli military reported another drone attack from Iran, triggering fresh air raid sirens and defensive responses. Israel said it would continue targeting Iranian positions.
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Russian War Casualties Top One Million as Ukraine Strikes Deep Into Russia
As the full-scale Russo-Ukrainian War enters its fourth calendar year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday that Russian casualties have exceeded one million. In a statement posted on June 12, Zelenskyy described the figure as 'the price Putin is willing to pay for his sick geopolitical fantasies,' underscoring the staggering human cost of Russia's invasion, which began on February 24, 2022. The figure is in line with estimates from Western defense officials. The U.K. Ministry of Defence and the Associated Press both reported that Russia has suffered over one million casualties, including roughly 250,000 deaths. Zelenskyy also touted a recent covert operation, codenamed SpiderWeb, which damaged 41 Russian aircraft—worth an estimated $7 billion—at airbases deep inside Russian territory. According to the report, the attack hit bombers and surveillance planes used in missile strikes. The Ukrainian president urged Western nations to tighten sanctions on Russian oil exports, backing a European Union proposal to lower the oil price cap from $60 to $45 per barrel. Ukraine's government claims Russia lost $4 billion in oil revenue in early 2025 alone. Framing the war as a global security issue, Zelenskyy called for more military aid and stronger partnerships with NATO and the EU. 'No country can afford to stay behind in defense tech,' he said.
Los Angeles Times
37 minutes ago
- Los Angeles Times
Marines arrive in Westwood as U.S. cities brace for ‘No Kings' protests
L.A. braces for multiple 'No Kings' demonstrations across the city Saturday Demonstrators carry signs and banners protesting immigration enforcement raids while outside the federal building on Alameda Street in downtown Los Angeles. Los Angeles and other major cities across the nation are girding for widespread demonstrations against the Trump administration Saturday as the federal government expands its aggressive immigration enforcement crackdown beyond Southern California. In Washington, the Army will celebrate 250 years of service, as well as President Trump's 79th birthday, with an unprecedented military parade. In response, many around the country will be gathering for 'No Kings' demonstrations to voice their opposition to the Trump administration's policies. Grand Central Market, an embodiment of immigrant L.A., confronts new climate of fear A nearly empty Grand Central Market pictured Thursday afternoon. Most weekdays the foot traffic and the din of business are constant in Grand Central Market, a food hall and staple of downtown's historic core since 1917. In a way, the market, with its oldest stalls ranging from Mexican to Chinese to Salvadoran cuisines, is an embodiment of the immigrant experience in Los Angeles. But this week, even at what are typically its peak hours, tables sat empty. The legendary market, like so many other restaurants and businesses across downtown, is losing business due to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and the neighborhood's anti-ICE protests. MacArthur Park goes quiet amid ICE sweeps. 'They're targeting people that look like me' A man hands out ice cream at MacArthur Park in 2024. On Friday morning, the area around MacArthur Park, a longtime immigrant hub west of downtown, was noticeably quieter than usual. Gone were many of the vendors who once lined South Alvarado Street at all times of day, selling everything from baby formula to Lionel Messi jerseys. Video shows immigration agents interrogating a Latino U.S. citizen: 'I'm American, bro!' Brian Gavidia stands in a parking lot next to East Los Angeles College in Monterey Park on Friday. Gavidia's business was recently hit by ICE; he said he had his arm twisted and held by an officer against a wall despite being a US citizen. Brian Gavidia was at work on West Olympic Boulevard in Montebello at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday when he was told immigration agents were outside of his workplace. Gavidia, 29, was born and raised in East Los Angeles and fixes and sells cars for a living. He said he stepped outside. And saw four to six agents. The Alex Padilla altercation was captured on video but still seen through a political lens Sen. Alex Padilla speaks during a news conference Thursday at the Federal Building on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. A day after federal agents forcibly restrained and handcuffed U.S. Sen Alex Padilla at a Los Angeles news conference, leaders of the country's two political parties responded in what has become a predictable fashion — with diametrically opposed takes on the incident. Padilla's fellow Democrats called for an investigation and perhaps even the resignation of the senator's nemesis, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, for what they described as the unprecedented manhandling of a U.S. senator who was merely attempting to ask a question of a fellow public official.
