Beijing’s increasingly aggressive harassment of foreign militaries was adding to “uncertainties” in the Indo-Pacific, the head of Taiwan’s de facto local embassy warned, less than a fortnight after a dramatic near miss between an Australian naval helicopter and Chinese fighter jet.

As China’s military activities attract growing scrutiny, Taiwan’s chief representative in Australia, Douglas Hsu, said a rising tempo of military incursions into Taiwanese airspace and waters was aimed at pressing the incoming administration into softening policies towards Beijing.