Australia on Thursday said it was monitoring the "unusual" presence of Chinese warships near its eastern coast.
"We are keeping a close watch on them, and we will make sure we are watching every move. It's not unprecedented. But it is an unusual event," Defence Minister Richard Marles told Sky News.
Marles said the ships were being monitored but were not a threat and were "engaging in accordance with international law."
Three Chinese vessels spotted
A frigate, a cruiser and a supply tanker belonging to the Chinese navy were first spotted last week off mainland Australia. They then took a path that brought them to the eastern coast.