AUSTRALIA has not ruled out increased joint patrols of the South China after what it has described as a “destabilising” missile test in the Pacific.
Foreign Minister, Senator Penny Wong, was asked on Wednesday about the potential of more regular regional sea patrols in tandem with the United States and Japan, following China’s launching of nuclear-capable missiles.
Reuters reported Wong as saying: “The maritime zone is critical to stability in the region so, when we have a conversation about the South China Sea, that is something I’m sure we should all keep in mind,” she told reporters.
“We are concerned about some of the aggression we are seeing, we are concerned about some of the destabilising conduct we are seeing, and the countries of the region have a choice to make about how we all respond to that.”
Wong met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of ASEAN talks in Manila on Tuesday evening to highlight her concerns.
China’s foreign ministry has responded that Australia was not party to the South China Sea issue and had no right to intervene.
“China urges relevant countries to stop stirring up tension and inciting confrontation,” spokesman Lin Jian told a regular briefing in Beijing.
Australia was only given a few hours’ notice by China of the test, which was launched within hours of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signing a new defence alliance with Fiji.
The missile understood to have landed near Tuvalu, one of three Pacific countries allied to Taiwan which China considers a rogue province.
Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu have condemned the missile test but the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat has remained silent over the issue, apparently because no consensus has been reached on the issue.
Kiribati – which has received two jet aircraft worth a total of $USD106 million – has signaled that it will not speak out against the test. Nauru has taken a similar stand. PNG which condemned the test has since forced the closure of Taiwan’s Trade Mission as an apparent attempt to appease Beijing after the initial condemnation.
China has accused Australia of double standards because it did not condemn similar testing by the United States.
