ABC



 

Japan's government has backed Australia against China's campaign of economic coercion, suggesting Beijing's informal trade sanctions on Australian exporters have destabilised the international system.

Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Peter Dutton met their Japanese counterparts — Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi — via video link earlier on Wednesday.

The two countries issued a detailed joint statement in the aftermath of the meeting touching on a wide range of issues, including Myanmar, defence cooperation and tensions in the South China Sea and East China Sea.

The joint statement does not specifically mention China's moves to hit a range of Australian products with sanctions in retaliation for broader political disputes.

But it makes a clear reference to the trade tensions, saying: "We commit to opposing coercion and destabilising behaviour by economic means, which undermines the rules-based international system."

The statement also declares the two countries "are drawn ever closer by our shared strategic interests in the security, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific and beyond, and deep economic complementarity".

"We pledge to further strengthen cooperation in the area of economic security. We express concern over coercive economic practices and will work with partners to address economic challenges to support a free, open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific," it reads.

And for the first time in a joint Australia-Japan statement, the two countries also broached the sensitive subject of Taiwan.

The self-governing island, which is claimed by China's government, has been facing increasing military pressure from Beijing.

Mr Motegi later told reporters the Australia and Japanese ministers "confirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and agreed to urge a peaceful resolution of the cross-Strait issues".
 

'Serious concerns' raised over reports of human rights abuses in Xinjiang

Both nations also voiced "serious concerns" over reports of human rights abuses against Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in China's far western region of Xinjiang.

Calls have grown from some Western nations to investigate if China's actions in Xinjiang amount to genocide, as the United States and parliaments in nations such as Britain and Canada have described China's policies there.

"We share serious concerns about reported human rights abuses against Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang," the joint statement says.

"We call on China to grant urgent, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent international observers, including the UN high commissioner for human rights."

When Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited Tokyo last year Japan and Australia also announced in-principle agreement to a new reciprocal access agreement (RAA) for military forces.

The two countries have not yet signed the agreement, but the joint statement said both sides would "commit to accelerating all outstanding tasks to sign the RAA at the earliest possible opportunity".