Chinese WARSHIP is spying on Australia: Peter Dutton claims vessel lurking off the coast

Defence Minister Peter Dutton has warned a Chinese warship with spy capabilities is lurking off the coast of Western Australia. 

Mr Dutton held a press conference on Friday afternoon raising the alarm about the vessel which has been tracking ‘close’ to the coast for the last week or so. 

‘It’s strange timing and it’s without precedent a vessel would be so far south,’ Mr Dutton said.  ‘Clearly, it’s intention is to gather intelligence.’

The vessel’s appearance near naval communications base supporting US and allied submarines in the Indian Ocean comes eight days before the federal election.

It was sighted at 0600 hrs this morning, 250 nautical miles north-west of Broome and tracking north-east at 12 knots 

Mr Dutton added: ‘It’s obviously very strange that it’s come this far south, and it’s hugging the coastline as it goes north towards Darwin. 

‘Its intention will be to collect as much electronic intelligence as it can – and that’s just very unusual. It does cause us concern.

‘We haven’t seen a ship from the people Liberation Army Navy come this far south.’ 

He said China had ripped up the diplomatic rule book by arriving unannounced off the coast like this.

there is a essentially an international protocol, which would normally include that contact to the Australian authorities that hasn’t happened 

More to follow