{"id":53175,"date":"2017-11-24T07:19:32","date_gmt":"2017-11-24T07:19:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=53175"},"modified":"2017-11-24T07:19:37","modified_gmt":"2017-11-24T07:19:37","slug":"beijing-criticises-australia-over-south-china-sea-policy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/world-news\/beijing-criticises-australia-over-south-china-sea-policy.html","title":{"rendered":"Beijing criticises Australia over South China Sea policy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Beijing criticises Australia over South China Sea policy<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

On Thursday, Australia raised concerns about the “pace and scale” of China’s activities in the disputed zone – part of a wide-ranging document setting out Canberra’s foreign engagement strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beijing said the paper was generally positive towards China, but Australia should not get involved in the dispute.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Australian government played down the criticism on Friday.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a briefing on Thursday, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang noted that Australia had repeatedly pledged not to take sides over the South China Sea.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Australia is not directly involved in the South China Sea issue,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

“So we would like to advise Australia to abide by its commitment and stop making irresponsible remarks on the South China Sea issue.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told the ABC she had received feedback from Chinese officials that “they respect the stand we have taken”.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rival countries have wrangled over territory in the South China Sea for centuries, but tension has steadily increased in recent years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Its islets and waters are claimed in part or in whole by Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.<\/span><\/p>\n

Beijing has been building artificial islands on reefs and carrying out naval patrols in waters also claimed by these other nations.<\/span><\/p>\n

In July 2016, an international tribunal ruled against Chinese claims, backing a case brought by the Philippines, but Beijing said it would not respect the verdict.<\/span><\/p>\n

The frictions have sparked concern that the area is becoming a flashpoint with global consequences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Canberra’s foreign strategy<\/span><\/p>\n

Australia’s Foreign Policy White Paper, its first since 2003, is designed to set out the country’s international strategy for the next decade.<\/span><\/p>\n

Among its key points, the document argues the US will remain crucial to Australia’s security, but says Canberra must build even deeper links with China.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Australia will encourage the United States and China to ensure economic tension between them does not fuel strategic rivalry or damage the multilateral trading system,” the paper says.<\/span><\/p>\n

However, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australia must also take responsibility for its own “security and prosperity”.<\/span><\/p>\n

“More than ever, Australia must be sovereign, not reliant,” he writes in the paper’s introduction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0http:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-australia-42104814<\/span><\/p>\n

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