In yet another provocation of U.S. allies, China conducted live-fire naval drills in international waters on Friday without providing adequate notice, causing nearly 50 commercial flights to suddenly alter their courses in midair to avoid the area.
Typically, warnings are given 12-24 hours in advance to allow airlines to adjust flight paths—China gave no warning at all. It took 40 minutes after the live-fire drill began for the Australian Department of Defense to be notified.
The drills were first discovered by a Virgin Australia pilot who intercepted a Chinese radio broadcast. The pilot immediately alerted Air Services Australia who then informed the Department of Defense.
This is yet another in a string of incidents that demonstrate China’s willingness to endanger lives and provoke conflict without crossing the line into direct military confrontation. Yet, with each provocation, the line grows thinner, and the risk of direct engagement with U.S. allies looms larger.
International law designates the 12 nautical miles beyond mainland shores as territorial waters of those nations. While the Chinese drills were conducted in the middle of the Tasman Sea—directly between Australia and New Zealand and well within international waters—proper notice and safety measures were denied, in typical Chinese government fashion.
China has shown a consistent pattern of dangerous, reckless, and aggressive maritime behavior time and time again. This most recent incident in the Tasman Sea is merely one of many intended to provoke Australia and aggravate its allies in the West, namely the U.S.
In February 2022, Chinese warships used a military-grade laser to illuminate an Australian maritime patrol aircraft only 105 miles from Marchinbar Island, Australia, raising serious safety concerns due to the potential for permanent eye damage or temporary blindness to pilots. This aggressive action, typically reserved for wartime use, is yet another example of China’s military assertiveness near Australian territory.
Then in June 2022, a Chinese J-16 fighter aggressively intercepted an Australian P-8 maritime patrol aircraft, flying dangerously close before diving in front of the Australian aircraft to force it into an evasive turn. Escalating the encounter, the fighter released chaff—thin aluminum strips—aimed at the P-8’s engines, potentially damaging the fan blades and forcing the aircraft to abort its mission.
In November 2023, a Chinese warship—despite repeated warnings—emitted powerful sonar pulses in international waters within Japan’s exclusive economic zone, injuring Australian navy divers who were operating underwater nearby.
And in May 2024, an Australian helicopter was endangered by flares dropped by Chinese military jets above.
The list goes on and on.
Australia is a key ally of the United States and a member of the strategic AUKUS alliance, a security partnership among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It is bearing the brunt of China’s provocations. By endangering Australian military personnel and civilians alike, China is not only testing Australia’s defenses but also sending a clear message to the West: Beijing will pursue regional dominance.
Today, the U.S. and its allies face the challenge of a rising China. According to the October 2023 final report from the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States, “Though U.S. policy does not seek to constrain any nation’s peaceful growth, China … [is] pursuing strategies to dominate their neighbors and replace the status quo with an autocratic model.”
China’s actions—whether military aggression in the Tasman Sea or territorial assertiveness in the South China Sea—reflect strategic intentions that go beyond peaceful growth. They signal a pursuit of dominance, challenging international security and endangering global prosperity.
Words of condemnation and diplomatic protests are not enough. The United States must take decisive actions to counter China’s escalating provocations. This includes the prioritization of the AUKUS alliance, the strengthening of alliances with nations like Japan and the Philippines, and the presence of U.S. military power in the Indo-Pacific.
The stakes are high. The U.S. must not only defend its allies but also ensure that the freedom to navigate international waterways and airspace is upheld. And there must be strict consequences for those who violate these norms.
China’s ambitions are clear, and so must be America’s resolve.