• Australia's largest-ever military exercise, Talisman Sabre, is currently underway.
• More than 35,000 military personnel from 19 nations are participating.
• Chinese surveillance ships are expected to monitor the exercise.
• This is the first time Talisman Sabre activities are held outside Australia.
• Australian Prime Minister Albanese is visiting China during the exercise.

The largest-ever war fighting drills in Australia, Exercise Talisman Sabre, are currently underway, drawing attention from Chinese spy ships. Talisman Sabre began in 2005 as a biennial joint exercise between the United States and Australia. This year, over 35,000 military personnel from 19 nations, including Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, and the United Kingdom, are participating over three weeks, according to SCMP, India Times, and NPR.

This year’s exercise is not only significant because of its scale but also because it marks the first time Talisman Sabre activities are being conducted outside Australian territory, with operations extending to Papua New Guinea. Observers from Malaysia and Vietnam are also participating, highlighting the international cooperation involved, as per the reports from the SCMP and India Times.

Chinese surveillance ships have a history of observing these military exercises, having monitored the past four Talisman Sabre exercises. Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy noted, "The Chinese military have observed these exercises since 2017. It’d be very unusual for them not to observe it," indicating that preparations have been made for possible Chinese activities off the Australian coast. These details were reiterated by both SCMP, India Times, and NPR.

The official start of the exercise was marked by a ceremony in Sydney, attended by Lieutenant General J.B. Vowell, the Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Pacific, and Vice Admiral Justin Jones, Chief of Joint Operations for Australia. This event coincided with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's six-day visit to China, where he is expected to meet with President Xi Jinping, according to SCMP, India Times, and NPR.