Australian and New Zealand Militaries Are Monitoring 3 Chinese Warships Off Australia

The Australian and New Zealand militaries were monitoring three Chinese warships moving unusually far south along Australia's east coast on an unknown mission, officials said Thursday.

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

The Australian government revealed a week ago that the warships had traveled through Southeast Asia and the Coral Sea and were approaching northeast Australia.

Defense Minister Richard Marles said Thursday that the Chinese ships—the naval frigate Hengyang, cruiser Zunyi, and replenishment vessel Weishanhu—were "off the east coast of Australia."

Defense officials did not respond to a request for comment on a Financial Times report that the task group from China's military, the People's Liberation Army, was 150 nautical miles (278 kilometers) east of Sydney.