…
JOURNALIST: The issue between Australia and China clearly aren’t helpful. Will there be any material consequences as a result for example will you be speaking to the Ambassador? Or will there be trade sanctions?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the Ambassador has already been spoken to about this issue, as has people in Beijing. Look, this is unacceptable, and it was unprofessional. I have said that we’ll cooperate with China where we can, we’ll disagree where we must and we’ll engage in our national interests. This is an area of disagreement. We’ve called it out. The explanation given overnight by Chinese authorities does not satisfy any change to the position that we’ve taken. Indeed, in the wording that they have used by saying that they were near Chinese airspace is confirmation that there’s no question that the Australian Defence Force personnel were both in international waters and in international airspace, and they were undertaking work on behalf of the international community in enforcing UN sanctions against North Korea.
JOURNALIST: (Inaudible)
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I just have responded. It’s very clear from the wording that they used that the ADF were doing good work on behalf of the international community in international waters and international airspace, we stand by the comments that have been made by our Defence, and we will always back them in.
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Source: Office of the Australian Prime Minister
Speaker: The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia
Format: Press Conference
China Policy Research 