Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she had discussed with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi the recent missile launch carried out by China - a test she described as – "destabilizing", Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reported.
On July 6, a Chinese nuclear submarine launched a missile equipped with a training warhead into the Pacific Ocean, which prompted objections from a number of countries in the region, including Australia. The missile fell in a narrow strip of international waters between Nauru, Tuvalu and the Solomon Islands. China claims that the test "was not directed against any country" and did not violate any international rules.
"We have made it clear, publicly and directly to China that we consider this missile test to be destabilizing and (...) we said that directly to Foreign Minister Wang Yi during my talks (with him, AFP note) yesterday", Penny Wong told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting with her partners from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Manila.
"We want a region where countries, all powers, including major powers, respect international law and, in particular, the law of the sea", she added.
Canberra has previously said it was not warned early enough about the launch.
On another issue, the minister condemned yesterday the "dangerous behaviour" Beijing after a collision in the South China Sea, near a disputed reef, between Chinese coast guard officers and Philippine sailors, one of whom was injured according to Manila.
Today, Penny Wong again expressed Australia's "deep concern".
During a visit to a Philippine coast guard ship on Monday, Penny Wong announced that Australia would donate "state-of-the-art drone technology" and provide operator training to the Philippine coast guard. The assistance will be worth about 5.9 million euros.