The Chinese foreign minister has launched an unprecedented public attack on the Australian Government, accusing it of "jeopardising bilateral mutual trust" as the row over the East China Sea escalates.

The two countries are at odds over China's move to declare an air defence zone which requires aircraft to provide their flight plans and declare their nationalities, or face defensive emergency measures.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop last week summoned Beijing's ambassador to voice opposition to the zone, which in part covers an area also claimed by Japan.

Ms Bishop said the timing and the manner of China's announcement was unhelpful and would not contribute to regional stability.

But China reacted angrily to Ms Bishop's comments, labelling them "irresponsible" and "mistaken".

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And now in a dramatic departure from what are normally scripted meetings, China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, has hit out at Ms Bishop in face-to-face talks.

"I have to point out that what Australia has said and done with regard to China's establishment of the air defence identification zone in the East China Sea has jeopardised bilateral mutual trust and affected the sound growth of bilateral relations," he said.

To speak like that in front of reporters, who are only allowed in for the first few minutes of a meeting, was a deliberate slap down from the government of president Xi Jinping.

Mr Wang also said the general public in China are "deeply dissatisfied" with Australia's comments.

"Across the entire Chinese society and the general public are deeply dissatisfied with that and this is not what we desire to see," he said.

Ms Bishop, in turn, told Mr Wang that Australia respects "China's right to speak out on issues".

She said she hoped China will respect Australia's right to "speak out on actions that affect a region of critical security importance to Australia".

The move by China has also fuelled tensions with Japan because the zone covers Tokyo-controlled islands - known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China - where ships and aircraft from the two countries already shadow each other in a potentially dangerous confrontation.

"We take no position on the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, but we take decisions in our national interest," Ms Bishop said.

"We urge that there be no unilateral actions nor coercive actions but that both sides act in accordance with international law."

She winds up her visit to China later today.