Minister sounds alert over China ‘spy’ ship

AUSTRALIA’S defence minister has said a Chinese warship with spying capabilities had been tracked along the nation’s western coastline in what amounted to an “aggressive act”.

Peter Dutton said the ship was sighted yesterday morning heading north about 250 nautical miles from Broome in Western Australia, and had been hugging the coastline for the past week.

“Its intention, of course, is to collect intelligence right along the coastline,” Mr Dutton said.

“It has been in close proximity to military and intelligence installations on the west coast.”

He said it was unprecedented for a Chinese warship to venture so far south and authorities were monitoring the ship closely with planes and surveillance techniques.

“I think it is an aggressive act, and I think particularly because it has come so far south,” he said.

Tensions between China and Australia have risen recently after China signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands.