China has said that it has 'taken note' of India's announcement that Australia will join the annual Malabar naval exercises. It said that that military cooperation should be 'conducive' to regional peace and stability. India on Monday announced that along with the US and Japan, Australia will join the upcoming Malabar exercise which effectively means that all the four-member countries of the 'Quad' or Quadrilateral coalition will be participating in the mega drill. Commenting on the announcement, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here that China has 'taken note of this development.' 'We always believe that military cooperation between countries should be conducive to regional peace and stability,' he said in a brief reaction. India's decision to heed to Australia's request to be part of the mega naval drill comes in the midst of growing strain in ties with China over the border row in eastern Ladakh. China has been suspicious about the purpose of the Malabar exercise as it feels that the annual war game is an effort to contain its influence in the Indo-Pacific region.