Dutton unrepentant about China comments

Peter Dutton is not backing away from an extraordinary broadside against China's Communist Party.

The home affairs minister stoked a diplomatic spat earlier this month after arguing some Chinese conduct was inconsistent with Australian values.

Mr Dutton took aim at Beijing over foreign interference, cyber attacks and actions in the South China Sea.

"You asked me do I stand by my comments from the other day," he told Sky News on Tuesday, after drawing a stinging rebuke from several Chinese officials.

"Yes I do, and I don't seek to add to them today, other than to state the obvious. When we see a threat in our country, we will deal with it."

Mr Dutton said his job as national security minister was to keep Australians safe.

"Sometimes that means I've got to say tough things or inconvenient things," he said.

"But everything I say, I believe, is targeted towards keeping Australians safe and I'm not going to change that."