(From Reuters)
China called on Australia on Wednesday to take into account the feelings of Asian countries as Sydney contemplates buying a fleet of submarines from Japan.
In some of his strongest remarks on the possible deal, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters Australia should consider the context of Japan’s role in the Second World War in developing its military relationship with Tokyo.
Wang made the remarks to journalists during a joint briefing with visiting Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.
“We hope that in military cooperation with Japan, Australia will take into full account this historical context and take into consideration also the feelings of Asian countries because of that history,” Wang said. “We hope that Australia will take concrete actions to support the peaceful development of Japan and Japan’s efforts to uphold its pacifist constitution and not the opposite.”
Australia this year will pick the design for a new fleet of submarines in a deal worth as much as A$40 billion ($29 billion). Read More