BEIJING: China has warned Australia, urging it to refrain from making “reckless and irresponsible accusations against Beijing ” following Canberra’s declaration that sonar pulses emitted by a Chinese warship “likely” caused injuries to its navy divers.
Defense Ministry spokesman Wu Qian stated, “We urge the Australian side to respect the facts, stop making reckless and irresponsible accusations against China.” He said that China “did not engage in any activities that may have affected the Australian divers.”
Wu dismissed the Australian interpretation of events as “completely inconsistent with the facts” and said that China “firmly opposes this and has made solemn representations to the Australian side.” He clarified, “The Chinese military’s ‘Ningbo’ destroyer followed legal regulations, employing measures such as tracking, monitoring, identification, and verification.”
