Bishop surprised by angry Chinese reaction

Australia's military will do what it has always done in the South China Sea and doesn't intend to be provocative, Julie Bishop says.

The foreign minister was surprised by China's angry reaction to her comments over an international court ruling on the South China Sea.

"I'm surprised that China would be surprised that I'm urging peace, restraint and abiding by international laws," she told ABC TV on Sunday, after China formally protested Australia's "wrong remarks".