'HIGH ALERT': China lashes Australia over major military move
China, as expected, has reacted angrily to developments Australia will invest in hypersonic missiles, with Beijing calling on neighbouring countries in the region to be on high alert.
As part of Australia's AUKUS pact with the UK and the US, a new agreement has been made for cooperation on hypersonic weapons and electronic warfare capabilities, the nations' leaders revealed on Wednesday.
Hours later, China's foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian accused the alliance of "exploiting the Ukraine crisis" to justify its significant announcement.
"It not only increases nuclear proliferation risks and brings shocks to the international non-proliferation system, but also intensifies arms race and undermines peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific," he said.
"Countries in the region should be on a higher alert."
The missiles would be able to be fired from land, sea and air and have a range of more than 2000 kilometres, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
But the Morrison government has expressed its own concerns over China's rapid military growth.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton last week criticised the militarisation of multiple islands in the South China Sea after earlier reassurances from President Xi Jinping China would not do so.
He also said the possibility of a military base on Australia's doorstep in the Solomon Islands after a landmark defence pact was proposed was "very concerning". He said the Solomon Islands was one of several nations in the Indo-Pacific Beijing had approached to gain a foothold in the region.
Mr Dutton has repeatedly stressed China's growing threat in the region, warning Australians the chance of military conflict is on the rise, angering Beijing who have accused him of hyping war for political gain domestically.
"AUKUS is an Anglo-Saxon clique, where the old thinking of Cold War mentality and bloc politics persists and the old trick of provoking military confrontation and adding fuel to the flame lingers," Mr Zhao said on Wednesday.
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"Its ultimate goal is to build a NATO replica in the Asia-Pacific to serve the US hegemony and self-interests through and through. Asia-Pacific countries will resolutely say no to it for sure.
"As the saying goes, every one should sweep before his own door."
In the wake of the Federal Budget last month which saw a 3.1 per cent increase in defence expenditure, Chinese state media said Australia was "immature" and had chosen "a dangerous path".
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