Chinese warships have "traced" nearly two-thirds of Australia's border in more than half a month

Since February, China-Australia relations have faced setbacks due to Chinese military exercises near Australia, including live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea. Australia’s February ban on China's DeepSeek AI model for government devices and its criticism of Chinese military actions in the South China Sea further strained ties. NTU Asst Prof Dylan Loh said that the renewed tensions reflect the fragile nature of bilateral relations despite three years of efforts to mend ties. He added that while China engaged diplomatically before Trump’s return to the White House, its strategic goals in the Indo-Pacific remain unchanged. He said Beijing continues to hope to establish dominance and control in the South China Sea, and has the ability to confront the United States and its allies in the region, and promote China's national interests without completely replacing the United States and minimising obstacles.

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