China has lodged an official complaint with Australia over its welcoming of democratic elections in Taiwan, with its envoy saying there is no room for compromise on the issue.
Chinese ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian also used a wide-ranging press conference on Wednesday to reject claims a Chinese warship used sonar against Australian divers, who received minor injuries in international waters near Japan.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed support at the democratic elections in Taiwan and congratulated the president-elect after the pro-democracy party won a historic third term.
The messages drew condemnation from the ambassador, who reiterated Taiwan was a part of China and that other nations should refrain from encouraging Taiwanese independence.
Mr Xiao is seeking a meeting with foreign affairs officials in the coming days.
"This is very sensitive to our bilateral relationship," Mr Xiao told reporters in a two-hour media conference in Canberra.
"We are strongly opposed to such a statement."
But Mr Albanese did not walk back his comments on Wednesday.
"We congratulate the new leadership transition that has occurred through a democratic process and we respect democratic processes while maintaining our clear position," he said, referring to the one-China policy.
There was no room for compromise over Taiwan, which was a part of China, the ambassador said.
"There's no room at all for us to show flexibility or to make compromise because it involves China's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Mr Xiao also sought to cast doubt over the injury to an Australian diver from a sonar pulse discharged by a Chinese ship.
He claimed a Japanese ship in the vicinity could have been involved.
"If they initiated the sonar from the Chinese ship against the divers, it will cause immediate fatalities, at least major casualties to the divers," he said.
"Whether or not there was sonar from the other side, other party, we're not sure."
Mr Albanese said he stood by Australia's position that the divers' injuries had been sustained from a sonar pulse from the Chinese vessel.
Former Japanese ambassador Yamagami Shingo called Mr Xiao's remarks a "classic example of evading responsibility" in a social media post following the press conference.
Chinese leaders will visit Australia this year after Mr Albanese agreed to an annual dialogue when he visited China in November.
But remaining trade barriers on Australian beef, lobster and wine as well as the detention of Australian writer Yang Hengjun in China remain points of contention.
China is reviewing tariffs on Australian wine, to be completed in March. The Australian government expects they'll be stripped back in the same way Beijing did with barley after it paused World Trade Organisation disputes against China.
Mr Albanese said he expected a breakthrough in the wine dispute "very soon".
Mr Xiao called for a refrain from "politicising economic and trade issues" before making a toast with Australian wine following his opening remarks.
A timeline for resolving the lobster blockade remains elusive with the barrier stemming from biosecurity impediments rather than tariffs.
Mr Xiao also sought to discredit reports about Dr Yeng's health problems, saying concerns about a kidney cyst were overblown.
"The conclusion is that he has some health problems but these health problems are not as serious as has been publicly described by his family members," he said, adding Chinese doctors were adequately monitoring his condition.
The case wouldn't be solved similarly to that of the recently freed Cheng Lei, who was released and deported in late 2023 after being behind bars for almost three years, he said.
