China defends routine missile test and cyber governance position at press briefing

China used its July 22 Foreign Ministry briefing to defend a recent missile test in the Pacific and to restate its position on South China Sea tensions. Spokesperson Lin Jian said the launch was a routine training activity by China's military, not directed at any specific country or target.

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He said China had notified relevant countries, including Australia, beforehand, in line with international law and customary international practice. The comments came after Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in comments on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting that Australia regards China's recent missile test as destabilizing and is seriously concerned about the latest South China Sea incident between China and the Philippines.

Wong also said Australia is concerned about "some of the aggression" it is seeing in the South China Sea and that countries in the region have a choice to make in response. Lin rejected the Australian criticism and said China had already made its position clear more than once.

He said the Chinese side had informed relevant countries beforehand and maintained that the test was not aimed at any specific country or target. He framed China's actions as consistent with international law and standard practice.

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On the South China Sea, Lin said China has made clear its position on what he described as the Philippine personnel's malicious attack on Chinese law enforcement personnel. He said relevant countries ignored the facts of the Philippines' infringement activities and provocations, made groundless accusations against China, and repeated the South China Sea Arbitral Award, which he called illegal, null and void.

Lin said the situation in the South China Sea is generally stable and claimed the root cause of tension lies with deliberate infringement activities and provocation by the Philippines. He said countries that are not parties to the dispute have no position to interfere, urged them to stop "hype" and confrontation, and said China will continue to safeguard its sovereignty, rights and interests through law, dialogue, consultation, and work with ASEAN on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties and a code of conduct.

#SouthChinaSea #ASEAN #PennyWong #LinJian #Philippines

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