Claim
On July 14, 2025, Andrew Hastie, Australia’s shadow minister was interviewed by ABC journalist Patricia Karvelas. When asked about the Australian Prime Minister’s planned visit to China, Hastie said: “If we keep having flotillas sail around our waters—test fire in our waters—…, that’s a problem.” This statement implies that Chinese naval vessels conducted missile tests in Australian waters.
Fact check
1.Location: Were the Exercises in “Our Waters”?
Hastie’s reference to “our waters” likely implies Australia’s territorial waters (up to 12 nautical miles from the coast) or its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ, up to 200 nautical miles), in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) . According to multiple cross-verified sources, the Chinese naval exercises, including live-fire drills, took place in international waters, outside Australia’s EEZ.
- Details of the Exercises
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) task group, consisting of the Type 054A frigate Hengyang, the Type 055 destroyer Zunyi, and the Type 903 replenishment ship Weishanhu, conducted live-fire exercises between February 21 and March 9, 2025, in the Tasman Sea.
According to The Guardian, The first live-fire exercise on February 21, 2025, occurred 346 nautical miles east of Eden, New South Wales. An ACARS message received by aircraft ZK-OKO (a Boeing 777W) on the same date independently reported a Chinese live-fire military exercise at the following coordinates: 37°00′ South, 157°02′ East, with a 40-nautical-mile radius and vertical range from surface to 45,000 feet, active until 0300Z.
To verify whether this ACARS-reported location aligns with the one reported by The Guardian, Fact Hunter conducted a geodesic distance calculation. Eden is located at approximately 37°03′ South, 149°54′ East, and the exercise location at 157°02′ East lies almost directly east at the same latitude.
At 37°S, each degree of longitude equals roughly 47.9 nautical miles, so the difference of 7.13° in longitude translates to a surface distance of approximately 342 nautical miles, well within acceptable margin for location reporting.
Two additional exercises followed. A second exercise was reported on February 22, 2025, approximately 350 nautical miles northeast of the Bass Strait. A third exercise on February 27, 2025, was reported in the Great Australian Bight, approximately 296 nautical miles west of Hobart, also in international waters.
Collectively, these data points confirm that all three reported drills conducted by the PLA Navy task group during its Tasman Sea deployment occurred in international waters.
- Official Statements
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that the live-fire drills occurred outside Australia’s EEZ, stating, “The three Chinese warships… were outside Australia’s exclusive economic zone when the drills took place.” Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles also noted that the exercises were in international waters.
2.Can China Conduct Naval Exercises in the Tasman Sea?
Under international law, China is permitted to conduct naval exercises, including live-fire drills, in international waters, such as the Tasman Sea, where the exercises occurred.
- Legal Framework:
The UNCLOS Article 87 grants all states the freedom of navigation and other lawful uses of the high seas (international waters beyond the EEZ), including military exercises, provided they are conducted with “due regard” for the rights of other states. The live-fire exercises were conducted in international waters, outside Australia’s EEZ, and thus did not require Australia’s permission.
- Official Statements
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, stated that the drills were “carried out in a safe, standard and professional manner and in accordance with relevant international law and international practice.”
Verdict
False.
The live-fire exercises took place in international waters, outside Australia’s EEZ as confirmed by multiple sources, including Prime Minister Albanese’s statements. China’s actions were legal under UNCLOS. Always verify the precise location and legal context of military activities before interpreting such claims.
