Chinese authorities on Thursday described as "irresponsible" the accusations made by Australia's Defense Minister, Richard Marles, regarding the increase in Beijing's military power, which, he warned, creates "a situation of pressure" in Southeast Asia.
Marles made these criticisms during a meeting of Defense ministers from the region, where he urged partner countries to strengthen their cooperation in the face of the "situation of pressure" attributed to Beijing, stressing that the Asian giant is carrying out the largest military modernization process of recent decades and maintains a firm stance in the Pacific area.
In response, the spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Guo Jiakun, stressed that Australia "should consider this objectively and stop making irresponsible comments", insisting that China is "committed to the path of peaceful development".
According to Guo, the strengthening of the country's military capabilities "aims to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests".
Likewise, he emphasized that "we never direct ourselves against any country nor seek military expansion", thus responding directly to the warnings issued by the Australian minister.
Relations between Canberra and Beijing are going through a delicate moment, largely due to maritime operations in the Pacific Ocean. In February of this year, the Australian Armed Forces acknowledged for the first time that a flotilla of the Chinese Navy approached its shores in November during military maneuvers, an episode that raised alarms in the oceanic country.