China Denies Australian Complaints Over Naval Drills
Wu Qian Rebuts Claims, Citing Safety Notices and Compliance with International Law
China's Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian has dismissed Australian concerns over recent live-fire naval drills conducted in international waters between Australia and New Zealand as "exaggerated" and "contradictory to the facts."
Australia's Dissatisfaction with Insufficient Notice
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles had previously expressed dissatisfaction with what he termed inadequate advance notice for the drills, which allegedly led to airline flight diversions. Marles demanded a satisfactory explanation from China.
China's Defense of Actions
In a statement issued by the Chinese Defense Ministry, Qian refuted the allegations. He asserted that China had issued repeated safety notices ahead of the drills and that its actions fully adhered to international law. He emphasized that aviation safety was not compromised.
Australia's Accusations Deemed Unreasonable
Qian expressed surprise and disapproval at Australia's accusations, accusing the country of "deliberately hyping it up" despite being aware of the safety protocols in place. He deemed Australia's actions as "unreasonable."
New Zealand's Monitoring of Exercises
Meanwhile, New Zealand reported observing a second day of live-fire exercises by the Chinese navy and monitoring a fleet of Chinese vessels in the area.
