Three Chinese warships sailed out of Sydney after an unannounced visit that came amid a tussle for influence between Australia and China in the Pacific.
The show-of-force call by a frigate, supply ship and amphibious warfare vessel was planned but never announced by Canberra.
The warships had arrived on the eve of the 30th anniversary of China’s bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in and around Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.
Ties between Australia and China hit a low last year when Canberra passed laws aimed at thwarting Chinese influence in domestic affairs and also over China’s assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea.