China appears to have offered Australia an olive branch in the wake of Anthony Albanese‘s election but the new Prime Minister is already talking tough on Beijing.
An editorial in the state media mouthpiece, Global Times, described the election result as ‘a turning point’ and reminded its readers that relations with Australia had been ‘mutually beneficial’ for 50 years.
It went on to claim the Australian government under Scott Morrison ‘severely damaged [the relationship] in just a couple of years, which is lamentable’.
It said Australia had adopted a ‘hawkish anti-China stance’ in recent years, but appeared to pitch itself as ‘a good partner’ on tackling climate change and ‘economic prosperity’.
The Global Times has run a series of articles in recent years mocking, threatening and raging at Australia’s trade and diplomatic ties to the United States, and attacking Mr Morrison, including labeling him ‘a clown’ in February.
The brief ceasefire in the ongoing war of words between Australia and China appeared to end quickly with Anthony Albanese talking tough before he departed for a meeting with Joe Biden in Japan
An editorial in the state media mouthpiece, Global Times , described the election result as ‘a turning point’ and reminded its readers that relations with Australia had been ‘mutually beneficial’ for 50 years
Mr Albanese met with Joe Biden on Tuesday to discuss economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region
The official Xinhua news agency reported that Premier Li Keqiang had ‘called’ Mr Albanese to congratulate him on his election victory. This was denied by the PM’s office.
Mr Li spoke with Scott Morrison in 2018. Mr Morrison spoke with China’s supreme leader Xi Jinping in June 2019.
The brief ceasefire in the ongoing war of words between Australia and China appeared to end quickly with Mr Albanese talking tough before he departed for a meeting with Joe Biden at a Quad partnership meeting in Japan.
‘The relationship with China will remain a difficult one,’ Mr Albanese said before flying to Tokyo.
‘I said that before the election. That has not changed. It is China that has changed.’
Mr Albanese met with Mr Biden on Tuesday in Tokyo, committing Australia to an economic partnership in the Pacific with the United States.
Mr Albanese, alongside Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, arrives at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, ahead of the Quad Leaders’ Summit, between the United States, Japan, India and Australia
The Quad partnership an information strategic alliance between the US, Australia, Japan and India.
The Global Times said Mr Albanese’s elevation to the top job ‘provides a turning point for the China-Australia relationship which is currently at a low ebb’.
‘We wish the new Australian government can bring the bilateral relationship back to the right track.
‘There are no territorial disputes or historical grievances between the two countries,’ it claimed.
This is despite anger over China signing a deal with the Solomon Islands in April which could include a Chinese naval base less than 2,000km from the Australian mainland.
Maintaining regional alliances will be one of the main focuses of newly sworn in foreign minister Penny Wong.
There is also further speculation China is seeking similar deals with other Pacific nations, including Kiribati.
The Global Times did not allude to these developments in its latest editorial.
‘During the most part of the past 50 years of their diplomatic relations, neither ideological differences nor geopolitical disputes have affected the normal, mutually beneficial exchanges between the two countries.’
There was shock and anger over China signing a deal with the Solomon Islands in April which could include a Chinese naval base less than 2,000km from the Australian mainland (pictured, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, second from left, with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, second from right, in Beijing in 2019)
Maintaining regional alliances will be one of the main focuses of newly sworn in foreign minister Penny Wong
It correctly claimed China was Australia’s biggest trading partner.
But it said because of ‘suppression’ of Chinese companies and products, the Australian economy was suffering ‘deplorable consequences’.
‘The Australian side has gone further and further down the road of politicizing trade and investment issues, frequently suppressing Chinese companies on the excuses of ‘national security’.
‘So far, Australia has launched hundreds of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations against Chinese products, while China has made only a few cases against Australian products.’
The Global Times regularly draws inflammatory anti-Australia cartoons and its latest effort was a sleeping Kangaroo being dragged along by an American ship
A former Australian diplomat writing for a Chinese government-controlled news agency attacked Scott Morrison as ‘a clown’ and said Anthony Albanese ‘shines’ in comparison (pictured, the PM at Morrison at a meeting of Australian, US, India and Japan foreign ministers in February 2022)
It also claimed New Zealand, which it said has a ‘similar political system’ to China, had warned Australia over its stances on China.
‘Even Australia’s neighbor, New Zealand, of which China is also its largest trading partner, has advised the Australian government to show due respect to China.’
The example the Global Times gave of a better time in Australian-Sino relations was John Howard’s era of ‘balanced diplomacy’ – which it described as ‘a pleasant episode in Australia’s diplomatic history’.