Australia vows to protect foreign missions in face of violent attack on Chinese Consulate General in Sydney

The Chinese national flag hangs from a flag pole inside the Chinese consulate in Sydney, Australia, July 23, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

CANBERRA - Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) published a statement on Thursday about the violent attack by Tibetan separatists on Chinese Consulate General in Sydney, vowing to protect foreign diplomatic and consular missions.

"The Australian Government takes very seriously its obligations to protect the safety and dignity of foreign diplomatic and consular missions and condemns all forms of violent protest," the statement said.

On Wednesday afternoon, Tibetan separatists stormed the forecourt of the Chinese Consulate General in Sydney, with one scaling a pole to pull down the Chinese national flag.

The DFAT statement confirmed with the demonstration.

"Protestors entered the grounds of the Consulate. Police contained the situation quickly, removed the protestors and made arrests," it said.

"Australian authorities are investigating the incident in close consultation with the Chinese Consulate-General."

The Chinese Embassy in Australia Thursday publicly condemned the violent attack.

"This is a very serious attack on diplomatic and consular institutions, which fully exposes the violent nature of the Tibetan separatists," the Chinese embassy spokesperson said on Thursday.

A total of 10 people (five male, five female), including a 38-year-old woman, were detained by the New South Wales police. The woman was charged with common assault after allegedly assaulting a consular official.

A New South Wales Police spokeswoman said eight people have been charged to face court.

The spokesperson said the Embassy of China has made serious representations to the Australian government, demanding the perpetrators to be penalized to the full extent of the law.

The embassy has also asked Australian authorities to "follow The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and other international conventions, take concrete and effective measures, strengthen the protection of Chinese diplomatic and consular institutions and personnel, and ensure the inviolable safety, security and dignity of Chinese institutions and personnel," the spokesperson said.

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