Who is in the wrong in the Australia-China tension?
Who is in the wrong in the current Australia-China tension? Is it Scott Morrison who antagonised China first or vice-versa?
The Five Eyes’ decision (to ban Huawei) will put the their countries ten years behind China (and the EU if it resists US pressure) in 5G and its associated technologies — Godfree Roberts
Quora by Ridzwan Abdul Rahman, Lives in Asia.
We need to go back into some history to understand the patience that China has displayed towards Australia.
Back in 2014, despite Australia’s Productivity Commission ruling there was “no convincing justifications for these measures”, Australia impose heavy duties on Chinese steel, aluminium and chemical imports. This is despite China reminding Australia that Australia should take the “China-Australia bilateral economic relationship into consideration”.
But China did not retaliate then.
In early June 2017 Malcolm Turnbull gave the keynote speech at a big defence conference in Singapore. He warned of China’s ambition to become the region’s leading power, and called on America and its friends and allies in Asia to block this ambition and preserve the old US-led regional order. Through this accusation, made without evidence, Australia made it clear that they were siding with the US against China, instead of being neutral.
In 2018, China launched an investigation on Australian barley and concluded that Australia’s trading practices have “caused material injury” to China’s domestic barley industry. The main issues cited were “dumping” (when a product is sold at a lower price overseas than it is in the country where it is produced) and government subsidies.
Australia did nothing other than deny the accusations.
Then last year, Australia banned Huawei 5G on the grounds that the Chinese government can force companies to supply it with any information. This ignores the fact that the Australian government has a similar law that can force companies to provide it with whatever information.
China did did not retaliate other than to object verbally.
On April 3, 2020, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in an interview with Radio 2GB that the virus originated in China and went around the world. This allegation came without any evidence (and is now proven to be false, with Covid cases appearing in Italy two months before China). Researchers find coronavirus was circulating in Italy earlier than thought
Following that allegation against China, Australia insisted that an independent investigation be conducted concerning the origins of the SARS-COV-2. Obviously, the investigation should be in China because Australia has already said that it originated from China.
If Australia was sincere in wanting an investigation to find the origins of the virus, then they should not pick on China alone. The investigation should be done anywhere in the world as necessary. This includes the US.
And concerning the virus investigations, if Australia is sincere about wanting to find the source of the virus, why is Australia not pressuring the US to agree with an investigation that might include the US ?
It was after this that China acted to place new tariffs on Australian imports. China had taken a long time to think before acting. They must have calculated the economic impact before announcing the tariffs.
Why do I suggest that the US should also be investigated? Please take a look:
And more recently, even after China has clearly shown that it is not pleased with Australian action against it, some idiot in Australia spread the fake news that China is destroying thousands of mosques in Xinjiang.
Leviticus 26:25 “The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies; thou shalt go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them, and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.
Joel Huan
The Mystery of Ephraim 