Australia flags naval drills with US, India and Japan in signal to China

By David Wroe, John Garnaut
Updated September 4 2015 - 8:13am, first published 12:15am
A Chinese missile frigate takes part in  exercises conducted by the Singaporean and Chinese navies in the South China Sea earlier this year. Photo: Xinhua
A Chinese missile frigate takes part in exercises conducted by the Singaporean and Chinese navies in the South China Sea earlier this year. Photo: Xinhua

Defence Minister Kevin Andrews has flagged the revival of controversial four-way naval drills with the United States, India and Japan in a clear signal Australia is pushing back against growing Chinese assertiveness towards its neighbours.