China’s Xi warns of ‘interference’ as Australia brushes off anger | Al Jazeera

Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned against “interference from external forces” in the region, as Australia shrugged off Beijing’s growing anger about its decision to acquire US nuclear-powered submarines, and promised to defend the rule of law in airspace and waters where China has staked hotly contested claims.

In an address before the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Friday, Xi urged heads of state to “absolutely resist external forces to interfere [in] countries in our region at any excuse, and hold the future of our countries’ development and progress firmly in our own hands”.

His comments followed the announcement of the United States, United Kingdom and Australia to form a security and defence partnership, and Australia’s decision to buy nuclear-powered submarines from the US.

China’s state-owned publication Global Times also described Australia as “a pawn of the US” and called it “naive” for financing “America’s cold war gambit”.

“Australia could face the most dangerous consequence of being cannon fodder in the event of a military showdown in the region.”

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, however, argued on Friday that China has its own “very substantive programme of nuclear submarine building”.