China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called on Australia to stop "exaggerating tensions and inciting confrontation" in the South China Sea. This demand came after Australian Senator Penny Wong warned Beijing against "destabilising" conduct in the region.
The tensions follow a physical confrontation on Monday between the China Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy in the South China Sea. China and the Philippines have blamed each other for the incident, which resulted in an injury to a Philippine navy personnel, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
On Wednesday, Senator Wong expressed Australia's concern about "aggression" and "destabilising conduct," stating that countries face a "choice to make" in how they respond.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian responded to Wong's comments by accusing a "small handful of countries" of rushing to oppose China "without regard for the facts" whenever there is a disturbance at sea. Lin urged relevant countries to respect efforts by regional nations to maintain peace and stability.
China's Foreign Ministry reiterated its position blaming the Philippines for the altercation, describing the actions of Philippine personnel as "malicious attacks" against Chinese law enforcement officers. Conversely, the AFP accused China's Coast Guard of reacting "violently and aggressively."
Philippine Foreign Minister Theresa Lazaro raised the incident during talks with Chinese officials, stating that "China's troubling pattern of provocation against lawful Philippine maritime operations undermines regional peace and stability and directly contradicts China's repeated commitments to resolve disputes peacefully."
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