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China responds angrily to Australia-US joint statement a day after AUKUS submarine deal was announced
Posted 10h ago10 hours ago
Foreign Minister Marise Payne at a news conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during Australia-US ministerial consultations.(
Reuters: Andrew Harnik/Pool
)
Posted 10h ago10 hours ago
Foreign Minister Marise Payne at a news conference with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during Australia-US ministerial consultations.(
Reuters: Andrew Harnik/Pool
)
The two countries on Friday, in a statement after Australia-US ministerial consultations, expressed concern over China's "expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea that are without legal basis", and stated their intention to strengthen ties with their "critical partner" Taiwan.
"This petty move to put pressure on China will be of no avail but a staged farce," a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Canberra said in a statement.
The comments from Australia and the United States came a day after they announced a nuclear submarine deal as part of a security partnership that includes Britain, which China denounced as intensifying a regional arms race.
Australia and the US also criticised China's imposition of national security legislation in Hong Kong last year that they said had weakened its electoral system, suppressed media freedom, and undermined the former British colony's "one country, two systems" formula, agreed when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
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They expressed "grave concerns about China's "campaign of repression against Uyghurs", a mostly Muslim ethnic minority in western China's Xinjiang region.
The Chinese embassy dismissed their accusations as a futile pressure tactic.
"We firmly oppose and reject the unfounded accusations and erroneous remarks against China on issues related to the South China Sea, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other China-related issues," the embassy's statement said.
Taiwan's government welcomed the show of support from Washington and Canberra.
"Our country's government will, on the existing solid foundation, continue to work closely with the United States, Australia and other like-minded countries to expand Taiwan's international space, defend the democratic system and shared values," said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou.
Speaking after the meetings in Washington, Australia and the United States also announced expanded military cooperation, including rotational deployments of all types of US military aircraft to Australia.
Reuters-
'This will be a staged farce': Chinese embassy unhappy with Australia-US joint statement
The Chinese embassy in Canberra has accused Australia and the US of making "erroneous accusations" against China in a joint statement. The exchange comes a day after the announcement of the AUKUS deal.www.abc.net.au