Be a ‘good neighbour’, Peter Dutton tells China as he warns of high tensions

Defence Minister Peter Dutton says he wants China to be a “good neighbour” but some of Australia’s nearest neighbours fear an arms race is looming after the announcement of a new defence ­alliance with the UK and US.

IT is a “time of high tension” in Australia’s region as China becomes more assertive, Defence Minister Peter Dutton warned, as some Australia’s neighbours warn against provoking an “arms race”.

But he called for China to be a “good neighbour”, referencing its $20 billion in trade sanctions against Australia.

It follows the announcement on a new defence alliance with the UK and US, dubbed AUKUS, which will see Australia acquire at least eight nuclear submarines.

Malaysia has joined Indonesia in expressing concerns about the move, warning it provoke “more aggressive action” and an arms race in the region.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Friday night said Australia and the US were “complicit in deliberately smearing China”, following a joint statement from the two nations condemning the treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and expressing support for maintaining unofficial ties with Taiwan.

Mr Dutton said there was significant concern in Washington about China’s intent towards Taiwan.

“This is a time of high tension and we want it to reduce, we want that pace to prevail in our region,” he told Sky News.

The Defence Minister said Australia wanted a respectful relationship with Beijing, but would not compromise on national security or sovereignty.

“We want good relations with China, they‘re an important trading partner, and we want them to be a good neighbour,” Mr Dutton said.

“Australians have seen over the course of Covid even the steps that have been taken to stop the import of Australian wines or barley or other commodities.

“But Australia is one of a long, long, long list of countries. that’s, been dealt with by the Chinese Communist Party of China in a particular and aggressive way.”

Defence Minister Peter Dutton said Australia wants China to be a “good neighbour”. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Mr Dutton said foreign interference was a “very real issue” and there was “industrial scale” cyber attacks taking place.

“The theft of people’s health records, the attacks on aged care facilities and their computer systems during the course of Covid,” he said.

“This is all the conduct that we’re talking about the so called grey zone conduct, and it’s escalating.”

In a statement overnight, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said overnight the nuclear submarine deal could “provoke other powers to take more aggressive action in this region”.

Indonesia’s foreign ministry also expressed “deep concern” on Friday over the nuclear deal, urging stability in the region and for any parties towards “settling any differences peacefully”.