Foreign Minister Julie Bishop won't provoke in the South China Sea

Lisa MurrayEnterprise Journalism Editor

Updated Mar 8, 2018 – 6.53pm, first published at 4.04pm

Subscribe to gift this article

Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.

Already a subscriber?

The Australian government is resisting calls for targeted sail-through operations in the South China Sea amid concern in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) it would unnecessarily ratchet up tensions in the region.

Former Defence chief Dennis Richardson called on the Turnbull government to take a stronger stand against excessive Chinese territorial claims by sailing within 12 nautical miles of Beijing's man-made islands in the disputed waters.