Australia is hosting Exercise Talisman Sabre, the largest-ever war-fighting drills involving 35,000 personnel from 19 nations. The exercise, including live-fire HIMARS missile launches, is expected to be monitored by Chinese spy ships, a routine occurrence since 2017. Despite Chinese surveillance, Australian Prime Minister Albanese stated he won't raise the issue during his current visit to China, prioritizing Australia's national interests. The drills, showcasing the US-Australia alliance, are taking place across Australia and, for the first time, Papua New Guinea.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.