China told to respect Pacific nations

CANBERRA: Australia has joined a United States-led push for nations to provide advance notice of missile launches, as a group of Pacific nations respond to China’s test firing in the region.

Within hours of Australia’s signing of a mutual-defence pact with Fiji in July, China confirmed a nuclear-capable missile had been launched from a submarine into the region, which was believed to have landed near Tuvalu.

Beijing was criticised internationally over the missile test, with a number of Pacific Island nations adopting a stronger public stance against their key economic partner.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong were in Suva when the missile test occurred.

The Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) foreign ministers meeting held last Friday published its outcomes document on Wednesday, calling for states conducting missile launches into the region to respect the sovereignty of those nations.

“These statements show the broad regional and international consensus — including from PIF foreign ministers – about the need for transparency, reassurance and respect for the sovereignty of Pacific countries,” Senator Wong said on Wednesday.

“That message should be taken seriously.

“Australia will continue to work constructively with international partners to shape a peaceful, stable, prosperous region.”

In a statement published by the US state department, Australia joined 40 other nations to call for “all relevant countries” to commit to providing no less than 24 hours’ notice of launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles to affected nations.

Palau, which is hosting the PIF in September, the Marshall Islands and New Zealand are the only other regional signatories.

“Recent missile testing activity in the Pacific area did not follow the standard practices adopted by most states to notify and deconflict … launches,” the statement reads. — AAP