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Their visit was kept so quiet that even the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian wasn’t aware Sydney’s Garden Island would be playing host to three huge naval ships and more than 700 foreign sailors.

Understandably, the arrival caused quite a stir, with many questioning why the public wasn’t informed and pointing out the controversial timing of the visit with the 30th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s offhand assurance it was not a surprise and no more than a “reciprocal visit” didn’t do much to quell the questions about why the public was left in the dark.

“It may have been a surprise to others, but it certainly wasn’t a surprise to the Government,” Mr Morrison told reports during his trip to the Solomon Islands capital Honiara.

“They were returning after a counter drug trafficking operation in the Middle East.”

But in all the fanfare about the secretive nature of the visit, many have missed a very important detail about what the arrival truly shows.

The three vessels currently docked in Garden Island include the frigate Xuchang fitted with surface-to-air and anti-submarine missile systems, the auxiliary replenishment ship Luoma Hu and the landing helicopter dock Kunlun Shan.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute executive director Peter Jennings said the advanced nature of the ships showed just how much of a major player China had become in terms of military force.

It is a clear indication that China is becoming a militarily very powerful country,” Mr Jennings told news.com.au.

“Even 10 years ago it really wouldn’t have had the ability to send this kind of show of force.”

There has been a lot of debate about whether this visit can be interpreted as China flexing its military muscles, and according to Mr Jennings, there isn’t really any other way it can be taken.

“It is definitely a show of force. You can’t send three large warships into a foreign port without it being a show of force,” he said.

The modern vessels show just how much China has improved its military forces in the last decade. Picture: Dylan RobinsonSource:News Corp Australia

There are suggestions China is using the visit as a show of force. Picture: Bianca De Marchi/AAPSource:AAP

Officials have tried to downplay the visit by pointing out this isn’t the first time China’s naval forces have docked in Australia.

However, Mr Jennings points out this is largest force we have seen.

“It is true that there are ship visits in both directions, but this is the largest Chinese ship visit we have ever had,” he said.

He also blasted the sensitive timing of the visit in relation to the Tiananmen Square massacre as “spectacularly bad” and branded not informing the Australian public of such a significant visit a failure of the government.

In the violent suppression of the Tiananmen demonstrations, which occurred on this day in 1989, the Chinese military gunned down hundreds of its own citizens after protesters demanded political change and an end to state corruption.

“I expect the Australian government to keep its population informed about these sorts of developments, particularly because this was so close to the anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre,” Mr Jennings said.

“The Australian public should not be treated with contempt by our own government like this.

“What it reflects really is that no one in Canberra seems to know how to deal with the rise of Chinese power in a way that looks after Australia’s interests.

“It is just embarrassing that this visit can happen in the time it has.”

It is a growing sentiment the visit is being used as a show of power from China, but some experts have warned we should be careful about jumping to this conclusion.

The arrival of the ships has clashed with the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. Picture: AFPSource:AFP

Director of the International Security Program at the Lowy Institute, Sam Roggeveen, told news.com.au reciprocal ship visits between nations was an established policy, even if it was strange the public wasn’t notified.

“You wouldn’t call it routine, but it is in line with policy for countries to have naval exchanges,” he said.

“I wouldn’t say it is a show of force, as it was in line with previous practice.”

Though Mr Roggeveen did agree the type of vessels we have seen show just how far China has come in the last decade.

“The quality of the ships is approaching some of the most advanced naval forces,” Mr Roggeveen said.

“Their forces have modernised at a breathtaking pace over the last decade, and it shows no sign of slowing down.”

The deployment of Chinese warships, particularly to places like the Middle East and the east coast of Africa, has become an increasingly regular occurrence.

“It shows how good they are at developing a global presence,” Mr Roggeveen said.

While experts continue to debate the reasons the general public, and even the NSW Premier, weren’t notified of the Chinese naval visit, one group of people were more than prepared for the arrival.

Photos from yesterday show members of the Chinese community waiting to greet the warships in Sydney Harbour.

Members of the public hold Chinese flags on the wharf as the three ships arrive in Sydney. Picture: Bianca De Marchi/AAPSource:AAP

People are questioning how some members of the public knew about the arrival when no one else seemed to. Picture: Bianca De Marchi/AAPSource:AAP

Onlookers proudly waved Australian and Chinese flags as the ships made their way into the harbour.

It is clear members of the local Chinese community had access to information of the naval arrival that the rest of the public didn’t.

There have been suggestions the information was disseminated on Chinese social media site WeChat.

La Trobe Asia executive director Euan Graham said these images would likely be used by the Chinese government to promote a successful visit.

“There are photographs of the local Chinese community being present and waving flags. They were clearly forewarned,” Mr Graham told news.com.au.

“The communications side of the Department of Defence need to be careful as those images will be used by the Chinese government to project a friendly welcome on their terms.

“It puts Australia at a disadvantage, as most of the public wasn’t even aware of the impending visit.”

He said while it wasn’t normal to announce the date of the arrival of foreign warships, the Government made a mistake in trying to keep it a secret.

“A compromise could have been announcing they would be visiting this week, which doesn’t give away excessive information but still lets the public know,” Mr Graham said.

“Not saying anything doesn’t really work as you can’t hide three massive warships coming straight into Sydney Harbour.”

The Chinese ships are expected to stay in Sydney until Friday.

Source : https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/important-detail-we-missed-in-the-arrival-of-chinese-warships-to-sydney/news-story/a8474e5d7219ee21d42f3bf73388c7c1