Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong is due to deliver a speech in the Philippines on Thursday to condemn China's "provocative" actions, following another incident this week described as "destabilizing and dangerous".
Speaking from Manila on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Penny Wong will deliver a direct warning to Beijing. Australia and neighboring nations, she will say, refuse to be intimidated by China's "provocative" behavior as it continues to strengthen its military and nuclear capabilities.
The speech comes after Beijing's recent test launch of a submarine-launched missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, an act Canberra considers "destabilizing and dangerous." The minister intends to signal that this buildup of power will not go unanswered by a collective diplomatic response from the countries of the region.
Penny Wong also plans to warn world leaders against any attempt to levy a toll on the Strait of Hormuz. Iran and the United States have both raised this possibility in the context of the ongoing conflict there, a prospect that Canberra views as a further threat to international stability.
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