Australia raises concerns with China over submarine-launched missile test in Manila meeting
Australia's foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has raised concerns with China over a test of a nuclear-capable submarine-launched missile earlier this month. She did so during a face-to-face meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Manila. The discussion took place as both sides also addressed wider questions of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
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According to a statement from Wong's department, the meeting was their 12th. The ministers discussed ASEAN priorities and the importance of regional stability, while Wong also raised a range of consular issues. Those included the case of Dr Yang Jun, as well as respect for Australia's laws, sovereignty, freedom of expression, safe and professional maritime conduct, and human rights.
The missile test has drawn particular attention because it involved a nuclear-capable submarine-launched system. Wong noted the strong concerns expressed by many Pacific island countries, indicating that the issue is not limited to bilateral ties between Canberra and Beijing. The meeting in Manila placed the exchange within a broader regional setting, where security concerns and diplomatic engagement are being managed at the same time.
The talks come against a backdrop of continuing sensitivity over military activity in the Indo-Pacific. Australia has repeatedly framed peace, stability and maritime conduct as central to its regional diplomacy, while China's military developments remain closely watched by neighbouring states. The fact that the issue was raised directly at a multilateral gathering underlines how defence-related actions can quickly spill into diplomatic discussions among regional powers.
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The ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting provided a forum for wider conversations about regional priorities, but the Australia-China exchange stood out because of the timing of the missile test and the public concerns it prompted. The inclusion of consular matters and human rights in the same discussion suggests the relationship remains broad and complex, extending beyond security alone. It also shows that both governments continue to use high-level meetings to manage disagreements even when tensions remain.
What remains unclear is whether the exchange will lead to any immediate follow-up or public response from Beijing. It is also not known whether the concerns raised by Australia will alter the wider diplomatic tone between the two countries in the short term. For now, the meeting signals continued engagement, but also continuing friction over military activity, sovereignty and conduct at sea.
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