Five Australian warships have joined US and Japanese forces in a show of strength as China test-fired live weapons nearby.
The force assembled in the Philippine Sea in a show of solidarity as territorial tensions soared after Washington last week declared illegal Beijing’s unilateral claim to the virtual entirety of the South and East China seas.
The Royal Australian Navy’s helicopter-carrying troopship HMAS Canberra leads the air warfare destroyer HMAS Hobart, the frigates HMAS Stuart and HMAS Arunta, and the support ship HMAS Sirius.
The RAN ships joined a task force centred on the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, a guided-missile cruiser and destroyer, and a Japanese destroyer.
The ?? Task Group has joined the ?? and ?? in the Philippine Sea prior to transiting to Hawaii for Exercise RIMPAC. An important opportunity to exercise at sea with our close friends in support of our shared views of a prosperous, open & stable region. ➡️ https://t.co/jfieE4J8ga pic.twitter.com/fU6KkqNb4z
— Department of Defence (@DeptDefence) July 21, 2020
