Albo: We won’t bow to Chinese demands
AUSTRALIA “won’t respond” to a list of demands from China, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says, as Canberra seeks to set a new path for diplomatic relations with Beijing.
As a two-year diplomatic freeze thaws, China has demanded Australia take strident steps to improve the relationship which Beijing has blamed the former government for.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong met her Chinese counterpart on the sidelines of a G20 meeting in Bali last week, where she said she had a “full and frank” discussion with Wang Yi.
It was the first time the foreign ministers had met faceto-face since 2019, after tensions soured in 2020 after former prime minister Scott Morrison called for an independent inquiry into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In response, China slapped bans and tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Australian exports, namely wine and barley.
Senator Wong said the meeting had been an “important first step” to “stabilise” the relationship. While China recognised it was a step in the right direction, it has called on Australia to meet four criteria in order to better heal the relationship, including that Canberra needed to see Beijing as a “partner, rather than a rival”.
In a statement, Mr Yi said China had four demands for Australia to improve relations between the two countries, including limiting third party influence, namely the US in the realm of the Pacific.
“First, stick to regarding China as a partner rather than a rival. Second, stick to the way we get along with each other, which features seeking common ground while reserving differences,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said.
“Third, stick to not targeting any third party or being controlled by any third party. Fourth, stick to building positive and pragmatic social foundations and public support.”
Mr Yi said his government appreciated the new Albanese government had “reaffirmed its commitment” to the strategic partnership between the two countries and its adherence to the one-China policy.
Mr Albanese said Australia “doesn’t respond to demands”.
“We respond to our own national interest,” Mr Albanese said. “We will co-operate with China where we can. I want to build good relations with all countries, but we will stand up for Australia’s interests when we must.”