Penny Wong will warn China that Australia and other neighbouring nations will not be bullied by its “provocative” actions, after its involvement in another “destabilising and dangerous” incident this week. The foreign affairs minister – who will deliver the address on Thursday in the Philippines, where the 59th Asean foreign minister’s meeting is being held – will also caution world leaders against placing a toll on the strait of Hormuz after both Iran and the US threatened to do amid the protracted conflict. The speech comes as the crisis in…
Tag: Penny Wong
China tests long-range missile in South Pacific in move Australia condemns as ‘destabilising to region’
China has conducted a long-range missile test in the South Pacific, in a move the Australian government condemned as “destabilising to the region” and which was also criticised by other regional leaders. A test missile topped with a dummy warhead landed in “designated waters” of the Pacific, China’s state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday. The missile test was a “routine arrangement” of China’s annual military training, with prior notification to relevant countries, Xinhua said. The exact location of the test was unknown. The New Zealand government said it was…
Australia’s confidence in Trump’s US has evaporated. What will it take for the alliance to rupture?
Perched high above Canberra stands a stylised American eagle statue on a towering column. Colloquially derided as the Phallus in Blunderland or the Chicken on a Stick, the Australian-American Memorial was paid for by mid-century Australians “to commemorate the service and sacrifice of American men and women in the defence of Australia” during the second world war. But there is perhaps another way to interpret an 80-metre statue high above Australia’s defence headquarters: that of a malevolent power monitoring a subordinate. For seven decades Australia has sought and found security…
Penny Wong complained to China about intimidation of exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, complained about the targeted intimidation of exiled pro-democracy campaigners from Hong Kong directly to her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, during a bilateral meeting in Kuala Lumpur. The July meeting was the first face-to-face discussion between the pair since two Hong Kong activists wanted for alleged national security crimes were subjected to anonymous letters offering Australian neighbours $203,000 to inform on them. The letters are now being investigated by the countering foreign interference taskforce, which is led by Australia’s federal police and the domestic intelligence…
‘Tears blur my vision’: Australian writer jailed in Beijing thanks Albanese for support in emotional letter
Jailed Chinese-Australian academic Yang Hengjun has written to Anthony Albanese from his prison cell in Beijing, thanking him for repeatedly expressing Australia’s “grave concerns” about his deteriorating health to Chinese officials. Yang, who was given a suspended death sentence by a Chinese court in February 2024 after already serving five years in detention on espionage charges that he denies, told the prime minister “words are now failing me”. “Tears blur my vision,” Yang wrote on what he described as the sixth anniversary of his imprisonment. “I can only use a…
Australians ‘shocked’ at death sentence imposed on Yang Hengjun, Penny Wong tells Chinese counterpart
The Australian foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has told her visiting Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, that Australians are “shocked” at the suspended death sentence imposed on the writer Dr Yang Hengjun. Wong raised the Australian citizen’s case – along with human rights more broadly – during a meeting that was largely aimed at stabilising the previously turbulent relationship with Australia’s largest trading partner. Acknowledging “important differences” between the two countries that would have to be navigated “wisely”, Wong said Anthony Albanese looked forward to welcoming the Chinese premier, Li Qiang,…
Australia politics live: China’s foreign minister to arrive in Canberra amid calls for Penny Wong to demand release of Yang Hengjun
From 44m ago Press China to release Yang Hengjun, rights group say Daniel Hurst Human rights groups have urged the Australian government to demand the immediate release of Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun and press other human rights issues strongly during meetings with China’s top diplomat today. The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, will hold talks with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Canberra today, with trade, regional security and human rights among the topics expected to be raised. Amnesty International has written to Wong saying it “joins Uyghur, Tibetan,…
Chinese foreign minister’s visit to Australia locked in hours after Beijing signals wine tariff lift
China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, will visit Australia for the first time in seven years, with next week’s trip being locked in just hours after Beijing offered a reprieve to Australian winemakers. China imposed tariffs of up to 200% on Australian wine at the height of the diplomatic dispute in 2020, alongside measures affecting a range of products including barley, red meat, seafood and coal. Australia has since been in the grips of a wine glut with an oversupply equivalent to more than 2.8bn bottles of wine after vintage last…
Government ‘appalled’ by suspended death sentence for Australian academic, Penny Wong says – video
Foreign minister Penny Wong says Australian academic Yang Hengjun has received a suspended death sentence in China, an outcome that has ‘appalled’ the Australian government. ‘We understand that this can be committed to a life sentence following two years,’ Wong said. ‘We will be communicating our response in the strongest terms’ The Guardian
BoM forecasts category three storm – as it happened
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