Australians are being urged not to panic after a suspected Chinese spy balloon was shot down in the US over the weekend.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said while it was concerning the balloon, which Beijing claims was a rogue weather monitoring device, had entered the US airspace and could have threatened the superpower’s sovereignty, powers like Australia must be measured in its response.
She said the most important thing now was for the US, and Australia, to continue to engage with China and seek to keep competition from escalating into conflict.
The balloon spent several days in US airspace before it was shot down over the waters off the Carolina coast on the weekend – days after President Joe Biden asked for it to be taken down.
China’s reaction has sparked concern after it said it reserved the right to take “further actions” and criticised the US for “an obvious over-reaction and a serious violation of international practice”.
The incident threatens to damage the tenuous relationship between Beijing and Washington, but Senator Wong said Australia would continue to seek to stabilise the relationship.
She added it wouldn’t stop Trade Minister Don Farrell from meeting on Monday – albeit virtually – with his Chinese counterpart for the first time since harsh sanctions were put on Australian exports in 2020.
Senator Wong said the most important consideration was that “we don’t allow competition to escalate into conflict”.
“We share the US’ concerns about the infringement of US sovereignty and the violation of international law, and the US has acted in a careful way, a responsible way, in how it’s managed this situation,” she told Nine.
“It is really very important that China and the US continue to engage.
“We, like many in the region, want a stable, peaceful and prosperous region and world. That means the great powers (like the US and China) which are in competition engage, making sure that there are guard rails around that competition to ensure that there isn’t escalation.”
Senator Wong said Australia was still focusing on stabilising its own relationship with China, aiming to persuade Beijing to drop its trade impediments.
She said the Australian government would “always ensure Australia’s sovereignty is protected”.
“And we will always encourage other countries to act in accordance with international law,” she told ABC News.
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce rubbished China’s claims the balloon was a harmless weather balloon.
“Give me a break,” he told Seven.
“The purpose of this balloon, and people could see it from the ground, it had two purposes. One, to see how it was detected and two, to see how the American people and politics reacted, and to determine the weather of that circumstance as well.
“Let’s cut through the rhetoric – Australia has to read the tea leaves. We have to focus on the main game and become strong.”
Independent senator Jacqui Lambie said the US had “every right” to shoot the balloon down.
“You can’t take China seriously anymore, this is getting beyond a joke … Let’s face it, we don’t trust each other,” she told Nine.
Senator Wong said ultimately the US had acted in a “careful, measured and safe” manner.