China hits back at Australia's Penny Wong over Pacific missile test criticism

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian rejected criticism from Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who called China's Pacific missile test destabilising and raised concerns about Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. Beijing said the root cause of maritime tensions lay with "deliberate provocation" by the Philippines, and that third-party countries had no right to interfere in bilateral maritime disputes. The exchange took place on the sidelines of an ASEAN meeting.

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China’s foreign ministry says ‘relevant countries’ should ‘stop stirring up tension’. Follow live

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More on that response from China to Penny Wong’s comments at Asean:

They came in a press conference held by foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian. According to the official translated transcript , he was asked about Wong’s comments that China’s missile test in the Pacific was destabilising, and her concern about “some of the aggression” it is seeing in the South China Sea, in particular a recent confrontation between China and the Philippines.

The root cause of the tension at sea lies with the deliberate infringement activities and provocation of the Philippines. Relevant countries are not parties in the South China Sea, and are in no position to interfere in the maritime issues between countries concerned.

Apparently, whenever something happens at sea, the same few countries immediately point their fingers at China regardless of who exactly is at fault. Are they trying to keep the South China Sea peaceful and stable, or simply to destabilize? I think the answer is quite clear. We urge relevant countries to stop hyping up tensions and sowing confrontation.

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China hits back at Australia's Penny Wong over Pacific missile test criticism

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