Australian leader silent on reaction to feared Chinese base

CANBERRA: Australia's prime minister on Sunday refused to say how his government might respond if China attempted to establish a military base less than 2,000 kilometres off the Australian coast on the Solomon Islands.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that a Chinese naval base on the impoverished South Pacific island nation would be a red line for both Australia and the United States.

His language was reminiscent to President Barack Obama's declaration in 2012 that the use of chemical weapons by Syrian forces would be crossing a red line requiring American military intervention.

Morrison was questioned by a journalist during an election campaign debate about a recent security pact between China and the Solomon Islands. Asked what he meant by red line, he replied: It means that was something that Australia believes would be completely against our national interest.