Australia and Singapore say they are committed to the right of states to conduct freedom of navigation and overflight of the South China Sea amid growing tensions over Beijing's military expansion in the region.
Speaking in Sydney on Friday, the foreign ministers of both countries said they reserved the right to continue to sail and fly through the shipping lanes, via which more than $6.7 trillion in global trade passes each year.
The waters, also rich in fishing stocks and believed to be home to extensive oil and gas deposits, have been the subject of overlapping claims from six Asian nations as well as complaints about China's building of artificial islands in the area.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said on Friday that Australia and Singapore remained committed to the freedom of states to conduct freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law.
"That's what Australia has done in the past and what we'll continue to do," Ms Bishop said.
The comments came following a 3+3 ministerial meeting of foreign, defence and trade ministers from both countries.
Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said that though Singapore was a tiny city state, its trade was three times its GDP, and hence security of passage through the South China Sea was also "essential".
"So we totally subscribe to the concept of freedom of navigation and overflight and we would highlight the South China Sea as important for both Australia and Singapore, because so much of our trade flows through that," he said.
"But the key point is to have a peaceful and stable regional architecture so that all these trade and people and goods can flow through unimpeded and with peace and stability assured."
The comments come as the United States continues to lobby for Australia and other nations to send warships to the area to conduct freedom of navigation exercises, including within 12 nautical miles of disputed territory in the South China Sea.
Earlier this week, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Beijing saw no contradiction between its insistence on safeguarding territory it claims and its desire for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
