A Chinese PLA Navy ship (background L) is seen while the an Australian Navy destroyer (R) takes part in a maritime cooperative activity near Scarborough Shoal, on Sept/ 3, 2025. Ted Aljibe/AFP via Getty Images
Australia’s defence force is expected to come into contact more often with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) works to further its influence in the Indo-Pacific region, the Defence Department’s representatives revealed at a recent Senate Estimates hearing.
“We are seeing the People’s Liberation Army continue to expand its military capability reach and operational tempo as the PLA operates further afield,” Defence Secretary Greg Moriarty said.
