China says Australia should avoid aggravating already strained bilateral ties

BEIJING — China’s foreign ministry warned on Thursday that Australia should avoid making already strained bilateral ties worse, after Australia scrapped two accords between Victoria state and China under Beijing’s flagship Belt and Road initiative.

Australia is the only country to tear up a Belt and Road agreement, setting a dangerous precedent, said Wang Wenbin, a spokesman at the Chinese foreign ministry.

China reserves the right to take further actions, Wang said at a regular media briefing.