President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have signed a critical-minerals deal at the White House

China has accused Australia of a military cover-up in the South China Sea, just hours after delivering a chilling warning following America’s endorsement of the AUKUS pact.

Australia's statements about an incident involving Chinese military aircraft over the South China Sea are an attempt to cover up an Australian "intrusion" into Chinese airspace, the Chinese defence ministry said on Wednesday.

The U.S. military still commands unmatched global reach, yet the margin of advantage over China is no longer as assured as it once seemed. For Australia, the question is not whether the alliance remains strong, but whether U.S. confidence accurately reflects the evolving balance and the risks that come with it.

The Chinese Ministry of National Defence escalates rhetoric after the Australian government objected to China carrying out an ‘unsafe’ manoeuvre over the South China Sea. Follow live.

Australia is capable of engaging with the Trump administration while stabilizing relations with China, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said, reiterating the center-left government’s policy of balancing the fractious superpowers.

BEIJING: China has issued a "stern protest" to Australia after a mid-air incident over the weekend involving military planes from the two countries, a spokesman for Beijing's defence ministry said on Wednesday (Oct 22).