The Guardian - China-Australian naval divers injured after being subjected to Chinese warships sonar pulses
November 18, 2023 2 min 356 words
这则报道揭示了澳大利亚海军潜水员在执行联合国制裁任务时，遭遇中国军舰的不安全和不专业行为。这一事件引发了澳方对中国官员提出的严重关切。这不仅是两国关系的一个新的紧张点，也突显了国际海域中的紧张局势。澳大利亚临时总理理查德·马尔斯强调，澳方期望所有国家，包括中国，在执行军事行动时都应以专业和安全为先。中方军舰无视澳方通告，靠近并使用声纳脉冲，导致澳方潜水员受伤，这种行为显然令人担忧。这一事件发生在最近澳中高层会晤后，彰显了两国关系的脆弱性。在这个背景下，国际社会期待各国通过对话和合作解决分歧，确保地区和平与稳定。
Australian naval divers have been injured after an “unsafe and unprofessional” run-in with a Chinese warship.
The acting prime minister, Richard Marles, on Saturday said the Australian government had expressed “serious concerns” to Chinese officials after the HMAS Toowoomba encountered a People’s Liberation Army-Navy destroyer on Tuesday.
The Toowoomba was in international waters in Japan’s exclusive economic zone, having worked to enforce United Nations sanctions, and was on its way to a scheduled port visit when fishing nets became entangled around its propellers.
The ship stopped so naval divers could clear the nets and its crew communicated what it was doing through the usual maritime channels, Marles said in a statement.
While the diving operation took place, the Chinese PLA-N destroyer DDG-139 came towards the Toowoomba, prompting its crew to reiterate a dive was under way and ask for the warship to stay clear.
The Chinese vessel acknowledged the message but came even closer, and was soon after detected operating its hull-mounted sonar, posing a risk to the Australian divers’ safety, Marles said.
The divers, who were assessed after they surfaced, sustained minor injuries likely because they were subjected to the sonar pulses, he said.
“This is unsafe and unprofessional conduct,” Marles said. “The safety and wellbeing of our [Australian Defence Force] personnel continues to be our utmost priority.
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“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a professional and safe manner.”
The defence force has for decades undertaken surveillance in the region and does so in accordance with international law, Marles said.
The incident comes as relations stabilise between Australia and China after recent meetings between Anthony Albanese and Xi Jinping and China’s easing of punitive trade sanctions on Australian exports.