Australia’s Army has risked inflaming strategic tensions with Beijing after painting an “enemy” tank in Chinese military camouflage colours for a land warfare exercise in Victoria.

Two weeks after Beijing test-fired a nuclear-capable missile into the Pacific Ocean, the Army has defended a decision to outfit one of its M1A2 Abrams as a surrogate “opposing force”, to specially replicate a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) main battle tank.

Defence insists the move is part of “long-established military training practices” but the revelations come on the eve of formal celebrations involving Australia to mark the 99th anniversary of the PLA’s founding.

Images published on the Facebook account of the Australian Army’s School of Armour at Puckapunyal Military Area in Victoria for the Royal Australian Armoured Corps Officer Basic Course were first reported by the TWZ defence analysis website.

“Good luck to the junior officers as they attempt to outmanoeuvre a seasoned enemy commander,” the School of Armour declared in the caption accompanying the photos, which have since been taken offline.

In a statement to The Nightly, the Defence Department said it “maintains a professional training program that develops the skills, judgement and readiness required of its personnel”.

“The vehicle depicted in the images was used as part of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps Officer Basic Course at Puckapunyal, Victoria, which undertakes training activities designed to develop tactical decision-making, leadership and battlefield skills.”

“The use of such training aids and programs are intended to support learning outcomes and are not directed at any specific country, as part of long-established military training practices used by defence forces around the world.”

The Defence Department declined however to say why the images of the Abrams tank in Chinese camouflage was no longer online or why it had chosen to use that specific depiction for an “opposing force”.

Over recent weeks strategic tensions between Australia and its largest trading partner have intensified particularly after China’s missile test this month and after the country’s ambassador accused ASIO of fabricating spying claims.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday night directly expressed Australia’s concerns over the PLA-Navy’s submarine launched missile launch into the Pacific during a face-to-face meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Manilla.

Beijing has described this month’s firing of the ballistic weapon from a submarine as “routine”, but the activity has been condemned by Australia and numerous other nations.

“You speak about the importance of mutual understanding. I agree, and I expect we will discuss our concerns ... including around peace and stability in our region, safe and professional military conduct, and the importance of transparency and reassurance of intent,” Senator Wong said in opening remarks.

Senator Wong noted the “strong concerns” expressed by many Pacific Island countries about the submarine-launched missile earlier in July.

During the twelfth meeting between the Australian and Chinese foreign ministers they also discussed the importance of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

“You’ve often heard me say that we will cooperate where we can and disagree where we must, and we want to continue to engage because we believe that is in our national interest,” Senator Wong said.

Australia was only given a few hours’ notice by China of the test, which was launched within hours of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signing a new defence alliance with Fiji.

The Chinese ballistic missile warhead is understood to have landed near Tuvalu in what Mr Albanese slammed as a “provocative act”.

The Nightly has been told Senator Wong also again raised the case of Dr Yang Hengjun, an Australian democracy activist and writer, who’s been detained in China for years on spying charges he denies.

Members of the Australian military are expected to attend a celebration of The People’s Liberation Army’s 99th anniversary at a special reception to be held at China’s embassy in Canberra tomorrow.