The Australian Navy was on mission in the South China Sea earlier this month. (Photo by Australian Defense Department)
In response to China's territorial claims on some important parts of the South China Sea, Australia joined the United States in declaring China's territorial claims "illegal ".
A week ago, Australian naval vessels confronted the Chinese navy in disputed waters in Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines, the Times reported, a move that could pave the way for increased maritime activity in the South China Sea.
China's territory, in the South China Sea area there are nine intermittent lines of U lines, commonly known as nine-segment lines, the online area for China's territory. On Saturday, however, in a document submitted to the common country, Australia government said the nine lines drawn by China's government were "without law basis ".
The statement states that "any claim based on these baselines to the internal sea, territorial sea, exclusive economic zone and mainland shelf shall be rejected by Australia. "
"Australia government encourages the South China Sea territorial claimants, including China, to clarify their maritime claims and peace resolve their differences in accordance with international law. "
The region is strategically important, rich in oil, gas and fisheries, and one-third of the world's shipping goes by. The supply of crude oil and raw materials in South Korea and Japan is very dependent on this route.
US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper on Thursday accused China of bullying ASEAN countries, forcing these countries to abandon fishing grounds in the region, and offshore crude oil and natural gas estimated to be worth US$2.6 trillion (about 3.6 trillion Australian dollars). income.
"My biggest concern is that China Liberation Army continue to be aggressive in the East and South China Seas, including sinking a Vietnamese fishing boat, harassing Malaysia's oil and gas development, escorting Chinese fishing boats into Indonesia's declared exclusive economic zone, and directly violating China's commitments under international law to military the areas it occupies, said Esper. "
American missile destroyer Ralph Johnson sailed near the Nansha Islands on July 14 Ralph Johnson. China deployed eight fighter jets to another disputed island in the Spratly Islands, which is partly made up of artificial islands and reefs, the same week sovereignty satellite images.
China and Australia are now the most tense diplomatic relationship since the establishment of diplomatic relations in the 1970s. On the occasion of Australia's non-recognition of the "nine-line" statement to the common country, Australian Foreign minister Payne (Marise Payne) and Defense minister Reynolds (Linda Reynolds) will fly to the United States tomorrow to start with the United States. 2 minister Dialogue at the level ".
Payne and reynolds will hold a series of meetings with us defense chief esper and Secretary of State ponpeo (Mike Pompeo) during their visit, which will take 14 days to isolate.
In the United States, the current situation of the new crown epidemic is grim, diagnosed with a breakthrough of 4 million, the United States insisted on holding this year to China, is also seen as a sign of growing geopolitical situation.
