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STEFANOVIC: All right. Just a few other stories about this morning. Prime Minister, I want to get you on while you’re here. Has there been any follow up with officials in China after that flare up nearly two weeks ago?
PRIME MINISTER: Look, we’ve made our position very clear to China, both publicly and privately, and you’ve seen that pretty obviously, I think Peter.
STEFANOVIC: Ok. But there hasn’t been, since those statements last week, there hasn’t been anything more? There hasn’t been a response from the highest levels of the Chinese leadership?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there has been, Peter, and you’ve broadcast them on your program. China has had a range of responses.
STEFANOVIC: But since then no more? That’s it? Because they accused us of spying. That’s what I remember.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, you’ve been reporting them. Exactly, Peter. They’ve had a range of reasons. All of them have been wrong. We stand by what we’ve said, which is that it was unprofessional, it was not appropriate action. We’ve called it out. We’ve said that it’s unacceptable and that Australian ships were in, the Australian ship was in international waters, we’re in international air space, we’re engaged in international action against, in this case, supporting the UN sanctions against North Korea. And this is unacceptable and it shouldn’t have occurred.
STEFANOVIC: Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister. Thank you for your time this morning. We’ll talk to you again soon.
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Source: Office of the Australian Prime Minister
Speaker: The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia
Format: Interview
China Policy Research 