Defence minister urges calm over China warships episode as they travel west

Defence Minister Richard Marles has urged Australians to take a “deep breath” over the Chinese warships off Australia’s east coast as the Coalition intensifies its attack on the government’s response to live-fire drills last week. The opposition has accused Labor of ignoring the strategic implications of the episode because it has repeatedly stressed that the Chinese vessels haven’t broken international law. But Mr Marles said that legal principle was critical because so many Australian vessels moving through waters close to China depend on it. “It’s really important that we take a deep breath here. Our touchstone has to be international…