Source: Xinhua Viewpoint
"From now on, all activities under the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue mechanism jointly led by the National Development and Reform Commission and the relevant departments of the Australian federal government will be suspended indefinitely."
On May 6, the Chinese side announced a major The news can be said to be a blow to some Australian politicians.
And for journalists who have long followed Sino-Australian relations, this is not surprising.
As we all know, economy and trade play an important role in China-Australia relations. Today, all activities under the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue mechanism are not only "suspended", but "indefinitely". What is the reason behind this?
(the picture comes from the WeChat official account of the National Development and Reform Commission)
We can first find clues from the statements of the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
"Recently, some people in the Australian federal government have launched a series of interference and destruction of the two countries based on Cold War thinking and ideological prejudice. China's normal exchange and cooperation measures."
"Australia disregarded China's solemn position and repeated negotiations, abused the so-called 'national security' reason, and intensified its efforts to China-Australia cooperation projects in the fields of economy, trade, people-to-people and cultural engagement and existing achievements. Restrictions and suppression have seriously damaged the mutual trust between China and Australia, and destroyed the basics of normal exchanges and cooperation. China has to make necessary and legitimate responses, and Australia must take all responsibility for this. On the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
several key words: "intensified", "a series of measures to disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation between the two countries", "the Chinese side has to make necessary and legitimate responses". To put it figuratively, some Australian politicians are like "jumping clowns", jumping too long and too high! China can't bear it anymore.
In fact, the changes in China-Australia relations in recent years have their origins and traces.
In recent years, some Australian media and so-called think tanks have intensified their hype about the so-called " China threat", behind which there is a shadow of funding from the US .
At the end of 2017, the Australian government began to promote the so-called "anti-foreign interference law". It is said that it is not aimed at China, but a series of measures are aimed at China.
In 2018, Australia took the lead in targeting Huawei, prohibiting Huawei from participating in the construction of Australia's 5G network.
At the same time, the Australian side has repeatedly vetoed Chinese companies to invest in Australia under the guise of trumped-up "national security". This politicization of normal economic and trade activities has also affected the confidence of Chinese companies to invest in Australia. According to a study by the Australian National University's Institute of East Asian Economics, China's direct investment in Australia in 2020 fell by 61% to US$783 million, hitting a six-year low.
is more than economic and trade. Conducting political manipulations on the epidemic, promoting the so-called "independent international deliberation"; slandering and accusing China of engaging in so-called " interference and infiltration" against Australian University without producing any evidence; publishing incitement to confrontation and exaggerating the threat of war Some politicians have even colluded with extremist organizations for their own selfish interests...
It gives the impression that some Australian politicians seem to be infected with fear of China and imagined "paranoia", and they will turn against China whenever they meet.
The nature of what the Australian side has done is extremely bad. On many occasions such as the United Nations Human Rights Council, he took the lead on Xinjiang-related issues or participated in "joint action" against China; high-profile interference in the issue of national security legislation for Hong Kong and national security; for Taiwan's attempt to squeeze into the World Health Assembly platform ... Repeatedly stepping on the red line on issues involving China's core interests is tolerable, but not acceptable.
What impressed the reporter was that in June last year, the Australian security intelligence agency raided and interrogated Chinese journalists in Australia on the grounds that they "may violate" the so-called "anti-foreign interference law", and seized their work computers and mobile phones. Even took her toys in front of a few-year-old. What about "human rights" and "press freedom" that Australia often talks about?
acts as a pawn in the international arena for the anti-China forces in the US and the West – this has become the main impression of Australia by many media colleagues.
Recently, Australia's anti-China campaign has been intensified. Just last month, the Australian federal government cancelled the "Belt and Road" cooperation agreement signed by the Victorian government and China, causing a public outcry.
Under normal circumstances, the Australian federal government cannot interfere with the foreign cooperation projects of local governments. But in December last year, the Australian Parliament passed the so-called "Foreign Relations Act". Under the Act, the federal government can prevent Australian states, local councils, agencies, etc. from reaching agreements with foreign governments. As a result, the Australian side reviewed more than 1,000 agreements and finally decided to withdraw 4 agreements, including 2 agreements signed with China. Isn't this clearly aimed at China?
"Under this circumstance, the basis for strategic economic dialogue between the two countries no longer exists." said Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University. necessary responses based on the assessment.
Sino-Australian cooperation is mutually beneficial and win-win in nature. China occupies a pivotal position in Australia's foreign economic and trade relations, and has been Australia's largest trading partner, export market and source of imports for many years. However, in the exchanges between countries, there are always more important things than economic and trade.
There is a proverb in Australia, "Look at the sun and you won't be haunted by shadows".Sino-Australian relations are not without the mellow and sunny . We sincerely hope that the Australian government and more rational and objective people can face the sun, expand their minds and patterns, see the long-term trend clearly, and stop being smart, and will be wrong again and will be wrong.
reporters: Pan Jie, Cheng Xin
