Australia’s leader criticizes China over its warship’s use of sonar that injured a naval diver WHIO TV 7 and WHIO Radio [Video]

CANBERRA, Australia — (AP) — Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday criticized China for a “dangerous” encounter between Chinese and Australian warships but declined to say whether he had raised the issue in recent talks with President Xi Jinping.

He said one Australian diver was injured when a Chinese destroyer used sonar while near an Australian frigate in international waters last Tuesday. Defense Minister Richard Marles said Saturday he had raised serious concerns with Beijing about the destroyer’s unsafe and unprofessional behavior.

China’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian on Monday dismissed Australia’s allegations as “completely untrue.”

Between the encounter and Marles’ statement, Albanese spoke to Xi on the sidelines of an Asia-Pacific leaders’ summit in San Francisco.

Albanese said on Monday his discussions with Xi were private, rather than a formal bilateral meeting in which content summaries are made public.

“I don’t talk about private meetings on the sidelines, discussions I have with any …