China, Australia defence ministers talk closer military ties as Australian writer Yang Hengjun held in Beijing
- Wei Fenghe and Christopher Pyne set to sign accord on military ties, but diplomatic and strategic difficulties between China and Australia are close to the surface
The armed forces of Australia and China should expand cooperation but Canberra must understand Beijing’s need for “mutual respect, equity and reciprocity” in the region, China’s defence minister told his visiting Australian counterpart on Thursday.
“A developed, healthy, stable and sustainable relationship between China and Australia could not only meet the basic interests of the two countries but would also favour peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region,” a Chinese defence ministry statement quoted Wei Fenghe as saying to Christopher Pyne.
“We hope Australia could walk with China in the same direction and expand communication and cooperation in various areas on the basis of mutual respect, equity and reciprocity.”
According to the statement, Pyne told Wei that Australia was willing to push for a “robust, friendly and vital military relations” with China.
Pyne said he and Wei expected to sign a memorandum of understanding on expanded military ties on Thursday, before travelling to the port of Guangzhou on Friday to visit the Southern Command of PLA, the authority that oversees operations in the disputed South China Sea.
Pyne’s visit to Beijing was his first as defence chief and started as China confirmed that Australian writer Yang Hengjun was being held on suspicion of endangering national security. This charge was similar to the allegations made against two Canadians detained last year as Ottawa was caught in rising tensions between China and the United States over the extradition of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou.
Before his meeting with Wei, Pyne said he would raise Yang’s case with his Chinese counterpart and the Australian government sought to give consular help to Yang, who is under residential detention.