Australia "strongly disagrees" with Thailand's decision to transfer 40 Uyghurs to China against their will and has raised concerns about their treatment with the Chinese government, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday.

Amid the furore, no-one has suggested that the Chinese “live fire” exercises were a military threat, were not held in international waters or that China had no right to carry them out.

The Chinese naval task group continued in a westerly direction while transiting off Australia's southern coast.

Listen: International editor Peter Hartcher breaks down how Chinese warships conducted exercises off Australia, and what it says about our defence force.

A spate of drills by China’s military in the Indo-Pacific is testing the Trump administration’s commitment to regional security soon after its actions raised doubts about its alliances with European nations.

China issued a warning Friday of potential "live fire" naval drills in international waters off Australia's eastern coast but gave little prior notice, disrupting commercial flights, the Australian government said. Beijing described the maneuvers as ...

France, Australia, Japan, Canada, New Zealand—following Washington’s lead—have each staged war games or concluded alliances with Manila targeting China.

The visit comes as the U.S. is assisting Australia in acquiring conventionally armed, nuclear-powered attack submarines.