Sydney: Australia on Thursday backed the United States in its so-called freedom of navigation operation close to a disputed reef in the South China Sea, a patrol China has denounced as an illegal threat to peace.
U.S. guided missile destroyer the USS William P. Lawrence on Tuesday travelled within 12 nautical miles (22 km) of Chinese-occupied Fiery Cross Reef, in an operation undertaken to challenge excessive maritime claims by China, Taiwan and Vietnam which were seeking to restrict navigation rights in the South China Sea.
Australia has consistently supported U.S.-led freedom of navigation activities in the South China Sea, where Beijing has been adding land reclamation to islands and reefs in waters claimed by several regional countries.
"All states have a right under international law to freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight in the South China Sea," Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told Australian Broadcasting Corp Radio on Thursday.
"I understand that the United States was simply exercising this right as it does from time to time and that this was a routine operation."
China and the United States have traded accusations of militarising the South China Sea as China undertakes large-scale land reclamation to create artificial islands and construction on disputed features while the United States has increased its patrols and exercises.
Facilities on Fiery Cross Reef include a 3,000-metre (10,000-foot) runway which the United States worries China will use to press its extensive territorial claims at the expense of weaker rivals.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
U.S. guided missile destroyer the USS William P. Lawrence on Tuesday travelled within 12 nautical miles (22 km) of Chinese-occupied Fiery Cross Reef, in an operation undertaken to challenge excessive maritime claims by China, Taiwan and Vietnam which were seeking to restrict navigation rights in the South China Sea.
Australia has consistently supported U.S.-led freedom of navigation activities in the South China Sea, where Beijing has been adding land reclamation to islands and reefs in waters claimed by several regional countries.
"I understand that the United States was simply exercising this right as it does from time to time and that this was a routine operation."
Advertisement
Facilities on Fiery Cross Reef include a 3,000-metre (10,000-foot) runway which the United States worries China will use to press its extensive territorial claims at the expense of weaker rivals.
© Thomson Reuters 2016
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
China Has Anchored "Monster Ship" In South China Sea, Warns Philippines 'Oppose Changing Status Quo By Force': India On South China Sea Tensions New China Rules Allow Detention Of Foreigners In South China Sea, G7 Reacts Over 300 Indian Students Return Home As 105 Bangladeshis Killed In Protests "Jindal Group Executive Showed Porn, Groped Me On Flight": Woman To NDTV Massive Worldwide Microsoft Outage: Flights, Markets, Stock Exchange Down Bangladesh Imposes Curfew, Deploys Military As 105 Die In Protests Tesla Halted Some Production Lines Due To Global IT Outage: Report SpiceJet Says Services Up Again After "Resolution" Of Microsoft Outage Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.