Julie Bishop warns China against intimidating neighbours
- THE AUSTRALIAN
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop in Tokyo before her trip to Beijing.
Australia has an “unshakable” commitment to freedom of navigation through disputed regions of the South China Sea, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said, warning that Beijing must not intimidate its neighbours over the issue at a time of growing regional instability.
Ms Bishop will today confront Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing over his claim that the military-style facilities China is building in the South China Sea are for “public good”.
To test such a claim amid widespread scepticism, she will ask whether this means other countries might be permitted to use them, a situation that Australia believes China would never allow.
In a strongly worded speech in Tokyo before flying to Beijing last night, Ms Bishop said the post-war stability of the Asia-Pacific region could no longer be guaranteed at a time of rising nationalism, greater defence spending and territorial disputes. She said Australia understood China’s desire for greater strategic influence in the region but only if it was consistent with its economic weight.
Last night Ms Bishop met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and discussed recent events in the South China Sea, as well as North Korea and the new Trans Pacific Partnership on trade.
Ms Bishop will use today’s annual foreign and strategic dialogue with Mr Wang to challenge Beijing to stick to its claim it is not militarising disputed islands.
The Foreign Minister is making her first visit to Beijing since President Xi Jinping said in Washington in October that China was not militarising islands in the South China Sea, a claim which flies in the face of evidence an airstrip and other military-style facilities have been built on islands claimed by other nations.
“Given that President Xi said that China does not intend to militarise the islands then of course we ask what the construction work will be used for,” Ms Bishop said.
“Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said they will be public goods so I am seeking more detail as to whether other nations could access these public goods.”
She described as “unshakable” Australia’s commitment to freedom of sea and air navigation through disputed regions of the South China Sea. However, Australia has not taken the more provocative action of the US Navy, which sent a ship through the 12 nautical mile exclusion zone claimed by China around disputed islands.
“While we take no position on competing claims in the South China Sea, Australia’s commitment to freedom of navigation and overflight consistent with international law is unshakable,” Ms Bishop told the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo.
“So too is our conviction that disputes must be resolved peacefully, in accordance with international law, without coercion or intimidation.
“China has every right to enjoy greater strategic influence consistent with its economic weight. However, China should act in a way that contributes to regional and global stability.
“This is China’s declared intention, and we therefore expect that China’s actions will be calibrated to achieve that outcome.”
Ms Bishop was yesterday rapped by China for saying Australia recognised The Philippines’ right to seek arbitration in its dispute with China.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that China thought The Philippines case was a contravention of international law and went against the consensus Beijing and Manila have had on the issue. “China certainly will not accept this. Australia ought not to selectively avoid this reality,” Mr Hong said.
In a grim assessment of regional security trends, Ms Bishop warned that a multitude of issues threatened stability.
She said North Korea’s behaviour, territorial disputes, cyber warfare and terrorism were feeding regional instability, making the presence of US forces more important than ever.
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