Australia has raised the stakes in its already troubled relationship with China by backing the United States in formally declaring Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea to be illegal.
Key points:
- In a letter to the UN, Australia rejected Beijing’s claim to disputed islands
- The move aligns Australia with the tough stance of the Trump administration
- Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese backed the Morrison Government’s position on the South China Sea.
In a letter to the United Nations, Australia’s permanent mission rejected the Chinese Communist Party’s claim to disputed islands in the crucial trading waters, calling them “inconsistent” with internatio