SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia on Thursday rejected feedback by China’s ambassador searching for to deflect blame from China’s navy for the damage of Australian navy divers in an incident close to Japan in November.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese mentioned he was “not swayed” by Chinese language ambassador Xiao Qian’s remark a day earlier {that a} Chinese language navy ship did not use its sonar whereas Australian divers had been within the water, and a Japanese boat may have been the supply.
Albanese mentioned in November a Chinese language warship acted in a harmful method by utilizing its sonar throughout an incident with an Australian navy vessel in Japan’s waters that injured navy divers who had been clearing fishing nets from its propellers, and the incident had broken ties.
China has beforehand rejected Australia’s description of the incident, and at an annual press briefing on Wednesday, Xiao mentioned China “did not provoke sonar”, including there was a Japanese navy boat close by. “Whether or not there was sonar from the opposite celebration, we do not know,” he advised reporters.
Albanese mentioned on Thursday, “I believe it is extremely clear what occurred.”
“I stand by the feedback I made on the time, that it was mistaken, that it should not have occurred,” he mentioned in a media briefing.
Australia has mentioned medical assessments discovered minor accidents to the divers concerned had been seemingly brought on by the Chinese language destroyer’s sonar.
Japan’s embassy in Australia mentioned it did not know what Xiao mentioned.
“Typically talking, nonetheless, Japan and Australia because the core of a partnership of like-minded nations within the Indo-Pacific area, unambiguously abide by the rule of legislation and have been selling safety cooperation throughout a variety of areas,” an embassy spokesman mentioned in a press release.
(Reporting by Kirsty Needham; Modifying by Sonali Paul)
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