<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/chinese-naval-flotilla-monitored-adf/58f0b14a-c4b8-4dd1-831d-0ee305138651" rel="" target="_blank" title="Chinese naval task group"><span>Chinese naval task group</span></a><span> sailed within 10km of Australian waters late last year, the ADF chief told federal politicians.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Admiral David Johnston was yesterday quizzed about how close the naval flotilla - first reported to be in the Philippine Sea in November by </span><em><span>The Australian Financial Review</span></em><span> - sailed to Australia's exclusive economic zone.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It came almost 10 months after another Chinese task group circumnavigated Australia and </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/exclusive-audio-pilot-air-traffic-control-china-live-fire-navy-drills/6876d1ef-d58d-417e-a06b-ee40250c7727" rel="" target="_blank" title=" launched live-fire exercises"><span>launched live-fire exercises</span></a><span> in the Tasman Sea that were first discovered by a commercial airline pilot.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/aukus-submarines-could-not-be-sold-to-australia-new-us-congressional-report/6d2b3916-ffc7-4a82-bacc-3d50c114c9b5" rel="" target="_blank" title="US politicians hear option of not selling Australia nuclear submarines"><strong><span>US politicians hear option of not selling Australia nuclear submarines</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The warships' presence raised concerns about the ADF's ability to defend the country's vast eastern coastline.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Replying to Liberal Senator Jessica Collins in Senate Estimates, Johnston said the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/chinese-naval-flotilla-off-sydney-includes-world-leading-warship/c483c48e-cb90-4608-822f-48e764e8ebc1" rel="" target="_blank" title="Peoples Liberation Army - Navy (PLA-N) warships"><span>Peoples Liberation Army - Navy (PLA-N) warships</span></a><span> detected in November came within five to seven miles (about 8km to 11km) of Australian waters.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said the ADF had a "good understanding" of the flotilla's daily movements as it sailed through the Pacific islands before steering north through Papua New Guinea waters. It did not conduct live fire exercises.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/chinese-flotilla-sailed-within-10km-of-australian-waters-adf-chief-says/195f717b-f439-41bb-8a3f-7052b58ade96" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We had our own aircraft deployed into the Western Pacific, but a combination of means that enabled us to have an understanding of what the task groups' movements were."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Johnston also said the flotilla's deployment so far from the Chinese mainland reflected the increasing capability of the PLA-N, which has undergone a massive expansion and modernisation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's a demonstration of its ability to operate much further from China's shores than it has routinely done. It unquestionably is demonstrating into our region that the Chinese navy is capable of deploying," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We judge the nature of its activities was both for internal training purposes as well as signalling to Australia and our region the capacity the Chinese military has."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><em><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></em></strong><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><strong><em><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>ticking this box here</span></em></strong></a></li><li><strong><em><span>Sign up to</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></em></strong></a></li></ul></div></div>