Chinese warships pass major naval base on WA coast

The flotilla of Chinese warships has sailed beyond Perth and is off the north-west coast of Western Australia.

It passed the navy base HMAS Stirling on Garden Island, near Rockingham, yesterday.

The vessels are continuing their circumnavigation of Australia, which triggered a row with China and intense domestic political debate when they staged a live fire drill off NSW.

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Australian authorities are monitoring the warships as they travel through international waters.

The Department of Defence said today the People's Liberation Army-Navy Task Group 107 - comprised of a frigate, a cruiser and a replenishment vessel - is operating 300 nautical miles (556km) north-west of Perth.

"Defence continues to monitor the task group while it remains in the vicinity of Australia's maritime approaches," it said in a statement.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles told Today this morning the ADF, working with the New Zealand military, had done a "really fantastic job" in tracking the ships.

The Royal Australian Navy ships - HMAS Warramunga, HMAS Stuart and HMAS Toowoomba - are shadowing the task group.

"And we'll continue to keep a very close eye on that task group as we have from the very moment that this task group entered the vicinity of Australia," said Marles.

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