*SYDNEY: Australians enjoying a sunny winter morning were surprised by the sight of three Chinese warships steaming into to Sydney Harbour Monday, forcing the prime minister to reassure jittery residents.*
The appearance of a Chinese flagged task group and around 700 sailors came as a surprise for residents but not the government.
“It may have been a surprise to others, but it certainly wasn’t a surprise to the government,” said Prime Minister Scott Morrison, trying to dampen concerns.
“We have known about that for some time,” he said of the visit during a trip to the Solomon Islands.
Morrison described it as a “reciprocal visit because Australian naval vessels have visited China.”
“They were returning after a counter drug trafficking operation in the Middle East.”
The vessels appeared to be the Kunlun Shan, a Yuzhao class landing ship; the Luoma Lake replenishment ship and Xuchang, a modern frigate that is believed to be fitted with surface-to-air and anti-submarine missile systems.