East China Sea dispute: China rebukes Julie Bishop

Foreign minister Julie Bishop has received scathing face-to-face criticism from China's foreign minister over Australia's stance on the East China Sea dispute.

Senkaku/Diaoyu island chain. (AAP)

China's foreign minister Wang Yi said Australia's stance puts bilateral relations at risk.

"The most important expectation that we have is that we need to respect each other's collective interests, accommodate any concerns and nurture a mutual trust," Mr Wang said at a strategic dialogue meeting in Beijing last night.

"In this area, I have to point out what Australia has said and done in terms of the Air Defence Identification Zone in the East China Sea. That position has jeopardised that mutual trust ... this is not what we desire to see."

The remarks were made in of reporters in place of the exchanges of pleasantries that usually precede a formal meeting.

Foreign minister Julie Bishop raised the ire of China last week when she said the new air defence zone declared by China over islands controlled by Japan could jeopardise peace and stability in the region.

"China sincerely hopes our two countries can work together with the same goals and purpose to handle any potential problems," she said.