Australian clarity and Beijing’s panic mark a tumultuous week

After another tumultuous week in the Australia–China relationship, four conclusions are becoming increasingly clear. First, we are going to be on this rollercoaster ride for years. National positions are hardening. Neither Beijing nor Canberra will back down and the prospects for ‘negotiation’ are zero given China’s ‘wolf warrior’ mania.

Second, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his senior ministers look increasingly confident in their stance to seek ‘a balance in favour of freedom’. The language used about relations with China is careful but is becoming clearer and more definitive. There is something to be said for knowing when your back is hard up against a strategic wall.

Source: The Strategist #Apr24

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/australian-clarity-and-beijings-panic-mark-a-tumultuous-week/

#Australia #Beijing #Strategic #Canberra #ScottMorrison

It looks like CCP leader #XiJinping is giving Australia the cold shoulder. Australian Prime Minister #ScottMorrison revealed in a recent interview that it’s been over a year since Xi Jinping answered his phone calls.

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It looks like CCP leader #XiJinping is giving Australia the cold shoulder. Australian Prime Minister #ScottMorrison revealed in a recent interview that it’s been over a year since Xi Jinping answered his phone calls.

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Australia’s Prime Minister #ScottMorrison has joined controversial video-sharing app #TikTok, despite voicing security concerns about the app last year, saying its “extension cord goes back to China.”

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Australia will not send officials to Beijing Winter Olympics
Prime Minister said the approach is in the national interest

Australia announced that they would not send government officials to the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympic after the United States, due to human rights issues in China. However, Australian athletes will continue to participate in the games.

Scott Morrison, the Australian Prime Minister, indicated in view of the deterioration in relations with China in recent years, Australia’s participation in the diplomatic boycott is “no surprise”. He stated the approach is in the national interest and is the right measure.

Morrison said the decision was based on the human rights issues in Xinjiang China, and other issues that Australians has been expressing.

Source: Stand News #Dec08

#Australia #China #Xinjiang #WinterOlympics #HumanRights #BeijingOlympics #ScottMorrison

Scott Morrison's WeChat account suspected of being hacked, MPs call for boycott over election interference

Australian media reported on Monday (24th January) that Prime Minister Scott Morrison's WeChat official account was suspected of being hacked and turned into a pro-Beijing account “Aohua Xinshenghuo (Australian Chinese New Life)”. His WeChat team has been unable to log in since the beginning of the year. Its 76,000 followers were notified to quit following old accounts. Some parliamentarians believe this is China's interference in Australia's internal affairs in an election year, and call on Australian politicians to boycott WeChat.

The abnormality of Morrison's WeChat public account was first reported by The Daily Telegraph. It was pointed out that earlier this month, Morrison's official WeChat account had been renamed “Aohua Xinshenghuo” and his profile picture had been changed. The account description was now "providing life information for overseas Chinese in Australia".

Source: RFA #Jan24

https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/au-wechat-01242022053954.html

#Australia #AustralianPM #ScottMorrison #WeChat #hacking #ChinaInterference #boycott #AustralianElection #OverseasChinese

Australia requests an investigation and an explanation on a Chinese warship irradiating an Australian patrol aircraft with a laser

On #Feb17, a Chinese navy warship used laser irradiating an Australian royal air force patrol at the north of mainland #Australia.

Australian PM, #ScottMorrison, said that Australia requested a full investigation into the incident through diplomatic methods. He also asked China to explain why "a professional defence force" can do such a dangerous act.

Hw tod the press on #Feb21, "This is completely unacceptable to have such an act. As a result, we requested to have an investigation on the warship behaviour... It is very unprofessional for a mature navy to have these dangerous and reckless acts, so we hope China to provide us with an answer."

However, the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, #WangWenbin, replied the accusation is not true and claimed the Chinese warship was "sailing normally", "complying with relevant international law".

#NavyWarship #RoyalAirForcePatrol

Source: SBS #Feb22

https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/scott-morrison-demands-full-investigation-into-chinese-laser-incident?cid=alc:soc:bau:con:SBSChineseTelegram::na

Solomon Islands and China to sign security agreement, Australia, New Zealand worry about stability in region

At a glance:

- Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, has said publicly that a security cooperation agreement with China has been finalised and is ready to be signed, and has texted Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison about the development. Sogavare also said that Morrison’s criticism of the country's agreement with China is 'very insulting'.

- Australia's High Commissioner to the Solomon Islands, Lachie Strahan, said on a social media site that Australia was concerned about a security cooperation agreement to be signed between the Solomon Islands and China

- The agreement is seen as potentially leading to the establishment of a Chinese military base in the Solomon Islands.

- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman in Beijing, Wang Wenbin, asked rhetorically, “Who is building the militarised cabal that will bring the risk of nuclear proliferation to the Pacific?”

-Solomon Islands PM Manasseh Sogavare said the country's security cooperation agreement with China has been finalised and is ready to be signed.
Australia, New Zealand, and the United States have expressed concern about a possible security cooperation agreement between the Solomon Islands and China, which could lead to the establishment of a Chinese military base in the Pacific Islands Region.

Source: SBS Australia #Mar29

https://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/cantonese/zh-hant/as-concerns-grow-over-solomon-islands-china-pact-here-s-how-it-could-impact-the-pacific-region

#AsiaPacific #PacificIslandsRegion #Oceania #China #SolomonIslands #Australia #ChineseForeignMinistry #WangWenbin #ManassehSogavare #ScottMorrison #Chinesemilitarybase #securitycooperationagreement

#Australia's leading candidates went head-to-head in their first leadership debate. Both Prime Minister #ScottMorrison and his opposition rival cited the current threat from #China.

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