Australia, China tensions fizzle
Australia is frustrated that China keeps rebuffing attempts to talk as tensions between the two countries continue to fizzle.
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham — who hasn’t been able to get his Beijing counterpart on the phone in recent months — says openness is the only grown-up way to resolve differences.
‘‘Whether we all like it or not, we share the same dynamic region of the world, the geography isn’t going to change,’’ he told the National Press Club in Canberra yesterday.
‘‘To deal with differences, though, you do need to talk. Australia is ready and willing to have that mature, sensible dialogue that grown-ups have even when you have differences of opinion.’’
His frank acknowledgement of his frustration comes on the heels of Foreign Minister Marise Payne warning that China, along with Russia, is using the heightened anxiety around the coronavirus to spread disinformation online.
‘‘It is troubling that some countries are using the pandemic to undermine liberal democracy and promote their own, more authoritarian models,’’ Senator Payne said in a speech at the Australian National University’s National Security College.
‘‘I can assure you that Australia will resist and counter efforts at disinformation.’’
Twitter last week revealed it had removed more than 32,000 ‘‘political propaganda’’ accounts linked to the Chinese, Russian and Turkish governments for violations of its platform. Senator Payne described it as an ‘‘infodemic’’.
Tensions with China have heightened since Australia started pursuing a World Health Organisation investigation into the origins of the coronavirus.
China ultimately backed that investigation.
However, since Australia made the first push for the inquiry, China has slapped hefty tariffs on Australian barley, blocked certain beef imports and warned tourists and students not to travel to Australia because they say it’s unsafe and racist. Payne rejected those last warnings as more disinformation. -