China says a move by the United States to expand its military presence in Australia deserves greater scrutiny and might not be appropriate.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a news conference in Beijing Wednesday it was worth discussing whether the U.S. plan to deploy Marines in northern Australia is in line with the common interests of the international community.

The agreement, announced during Mr. Obama's visit to Australia Wednesday, underscores concerns in the region over an increasingly assertive China.

The French news agency quoted U.S. deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes responding that the United States believes the deployment is “entirely appropriate.”