Former Labor senator Stephen Conroy says former Prime Minister Paul Keating cannot keep “waving his hand and dismissing the actions” of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
It comes after Mr Keating criticised Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong for not being soft enough on China during his National Press Club address.
“His criticism of Penny Wong was just terrible,” Mr Conroy told Sky News host Andrew Bolt.
“Penny is doing an excellent job in steering Australia through the most challenging foreign policy time in 25 years.
“We are now in a region where there is growing instability caused by China, and all of the nations around China are all looking for some leadership and the ability to point out China’s behaviour.”