Public Security chief launches digital vehicle plate wallet service    'Action is in our nature': 4th Saudi Green Initiative Forum to be held at COP16    Pop hit APT too distracting for South Korea's exam-stressed students    Saudi Arabia's inflation rate hits 1.9% in October, the highest in 14 months    Mohammed Al-Habib Real Estate Co. sets Guinness World Record with largest continuous concrete pour    PIF completes largest-ever accelerated bookbuild offering in MENA region    Saudi Arabia signs renewable energy program with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan at COP29    Australia and Saudi Arabia settle for goalless draw in AFC Asian Qualifiers    Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of mass displacement in Gaza amounting to war crime    Thousands of protesters march in Paris ahead of tense football match between France and Israel    Republicans win 218 US House seats, giving Donald Trump control of government    UN sounds alarm at Israel's 'severe violations' at key buffer zone with Syria    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    Saudi, Indian foreign ministers co-chair Cooperation Committee meeting in New Delhi    South Korean actor Song Jae Lim found dead at 39    Don't sit on the toilet for more than 10 minutes, doctors warn    'Marvels of Saudi Orchestra' to dazzle audience in Tokyo on Nov. 22    Saudi Champion Saeed Al-Mouri scores notable feat in Radical World Championship in Abu Dhabi with support from Bin-Shihon Group    Rita Ora is tearful in tribute to Liam Payne at MTV Awards    France to deploy 4,000 police officers for UEFA Nations League match against Israel    Al Nassr edges past Al Riyadh with Mane's goal to move up to third    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Australian defense minister has ice-breaking meeting with Chinese counterpart
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 13 - 06 - 2022

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles revealed on Sunday that he held a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Gen, Wei Fenghe, on sidelines of the "Shangri La summit" in Singapore.
The Singaporean news agency, News Asia, quoted the minister as saying during a news conference that the meeting with the Chinese minister that lasted for more than hour and was "a crucial step" for warming up the icy ties between the two nations.
The Australian-Chinese relations are complicated, thus such encounters are necessary for dialogue, he added. He called on Beijing to be transparent with respect of its regional military buildup, warning of a prospected arms race in the region.
The Australian-Chinese relations turned sour in recent years. Canberra had called for an "independent inquiry" into outbreak of the coronavirus, while Beijing imposed restrictive measures against imports of Australian products.
Marles' one-on-one meeting with his Chinese counterpart in Singapore officially ended a two-year diplomatic freeze between Canberra and Beijing.
The meeting is Australia's first high-level contact with China since January 2020. Marles said China's recent interception of an Australian air force plane was raised in the meeting.
Marles described the meeting as a "frank and full exchange" in which he raised a number of issues of concern to Australia, including China's recent interception of an Australian air force plane over the South China Sea.
"This was an important meeting between two countries of consequence in the Indo-Pacific meeting," he said. "It was a critical first step."
"Australia and China's relationship is complex and it's precisely because of this complexity that it is really important that we are engaging in dialogue right now."
United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Saturday there had been, "an alarming increase in the number of unsafe aerial intercepts and confrontations at sea" by Chinese planes and ships.
Fenghe rejected his "smearing accusation" and accused the US and unnamed countries of "meddling" in the contested waters and "stirring up trouble".
"Some big power has long practiced navigation hegemony on the pretext of freedom of navigation," he told the conference. "It [US] has flexed the muscles by sending warships and warplanes on a rampage in the South China Sea."
In a coordinated pushback against Beijing by Western allies, Marles expressed alarm at China's military build-up and rapid expansion in the region.
"Chinese militarization of features in the South China Sea needs to be understood for what it is: the intent to deny the legitimacy of its neighbors' claims in this vital international waterway through force," he said.
Those comments were echoed by Canada's Defense Minister Anita Anand, who expressed concern with China's "increasingly assertive behavior in the South China Sea".
"We believe China's actions have heightened tensions and undermined the rules-based international order," she said. The South China Sea is considered one of several potential flashpoints in a region where strategic competition is on the rise.
Marles' meeting with his Chinese counterpart will be seen as a positive step that could pave the way for more high-level talks between the two countries.
But the Albanese government has previously said it wants Beijing to demonstrate its desire to repair the strained relationship by dropping its trade sanctions against Australia.
"In moving forward, while there is a change in tone, there is absolutely no change in the substance of Australia's national interest," Marles said. — Agencies


Clic here to read the story from its source.