Australia’s Wong Meets China’s Wang Yi at ASEAN Meeting, Raises Missile Test and Maritime Issues

Australia’s foreign affairs minister Penny Wong met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in Manila, The Guardian reported. In their 12th meeting the ministers discussed ASEAN priorities and the importance of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

Wong raised Australia’s concerns about China’s test of a nuclear-capable submarine-launched missile earlier this month and noted the strong concerns expressed by many Pacific island countries.

She also raised the case of Dr Yang Jun along with issues of respect for Australia’s laws, sovereignty, freedom of expression, safe and professional maritime conduct, and human rights. China and the Philippines summoned each other’s ambassadors on Tuesday after the Philippine military accused the China Coast Guard of clubbing a Filipino sailor with a baton on Monday near a grounded vessel at Second Thomas Shoal.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos met with China’s ambassador to Manila on Tuesday regarding the incident.

Penny Wong criticised “destabilising and dangerous conduct” by China after the clash at Second Thomas Shoal. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned Beijing’s “dangerous and aggressive actions” in the South China Sea and published an opinion piece in Philippine media outlets on Tuesday reaffirming U.S.

Commitment to freedom of navigation in Southeast Asia. Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water, appeared on ABC News Breakfast from Adelaide and stated that the Labor government had proposed the “most far reaching” reform on gambling of any government.