Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told reporters she raised concerns with China in Manila over a recent submarine-launched ballistic missile test in the South Pacific, calling the launch 'destabilising.' Independent monitors say the missile splashed down between the Solomon Islands, Nauru and Tuvalu, and about a dozen Pacific nations condemned the test. Wong also expressed worry over a separate clash at Second Thomas Shoal and announced a 413 million peso ($6.7m) drone and training package for the Philippine Coast Guard.
Australia Calls China’s South Pacific Missile Test 'Destabilising' — Wong Raises Concerns in Manila
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she raised China's missile test directly with her counterpart Wang Yi (Leon LORD)
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Wednesday she directly raised concerns with her Chinese counterpart in Manila over a recent Chinese submarine-launched ballistic missile test in the South Pacific, calling the launch 'destabilising' for the region.
Her remarks followed an earlier admonition over what she described as China's 'dangerous conduct' after a separate maritime clash between Philippine and Chinese personnel at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.
Independent monitors reported that the ballistic missile, fitted with a dummy warhead and fired earlier this month, splashed down in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean roughly between the Solomon Islands, Nauru and Tuvalu. About a dozen Pacific island nations publicly condemned the test as inconsistent with the region's stated desire to remain free of nuclear-weapons testing.
'We have made clear publicly and directly to China that we regard the missile test as destabilising and we put that directly to Foreign Minister Wang Yi in my discussions with him yesterday,' Wong told reporters on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian ministers' meeting in the Philippines.
Wong added that Australia wants a 'region which is peaceful, stable and prosperous' where all powers 'observe international law and, in particular, the law of the sea.' She reiterated Canberra's concern that Australia and regional partners were not given sufficient notice of the missile activity.
Responding to the incident at Second Thomas Shoal—where a Philippine sailor was reportedly struck with a baton—Wong said Australia had 'real concerns about behaviour that is destabilising and risky.'
During a visit to a Philippine Coast Guard vessel on Tuesday, Wong announced Australia would donate advanced drone systems and operator training valued at 413 million pesos (about $6.7 million) to strengthen maritime surveillance and response capabilities.
Sources: Reporting from Manila and regional monitors.
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