Chinese ambassador calls on Australia to drop 'Cold War mentality'

[webfact]

Chinese ambassador calls on Australia to drop 'Cold War mentality'

By Colin Packham and Tom Westbrook

 

China's Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye looks on after speaking at an Australia China Business Council (ACBC) Canberra Networking Day event at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, June 19, 2018. AAP/Mick Tsikas/via REUTERS

 

CANBERRA/SYDNEY (Reuters) - China's ambassador to Australia said on Tuesday "less bias and bigotry" was needed to repair bilateral relations amid concerns over Chinese influence in Australia and its use of loans to build leverage over poorer South Pacific island nations.

 

"We need to see each other's development and policy intentions from a more positive perspective with less Cold War mentality," Cheng Jingye said in a speech to politicians and business leaders in Canberra.

 

Relations between Canberra and Beijing have soured since Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull accused China late last year of meddling in domestic affairs, and as concern at China's influence in the region has grown.

 

Editorials in Chinese state media, including the China Daily and the Global Times, on Tuesday accused Australia of arrogance and taking a "distorted view on relations".

 

The Sydney Morning Herald ran the headline "Bring It On" above a China-focused interview with Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop.

 

The rift spilled over into trade last month when Australian wine exporters such as Treasury Wine Estates began to face blocks and delays because Chinese customs officials held up shipments.

 

However, Cheng struck a more conciliatory tone after his introduction by former Australian politician John Brumby, who is a director of Chinese telco Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's Australian arm.

 

"It is my belief that in order to ... achieve sustained and sound development in bilateral relations the two countries need to have more interaction and inclusiveness with less bias and bigotry," he said.

 

Australian security agencies and Huawei have clashed over worries that the telco's desire to supply hardware for Australia's nascent 5G network poses a data safety risk.

 

Australia has already blocked Huawei from providing broadband equipment to its national network over national security concerns and stymied its plan to lay an internet cable from the Solomon Islands, north of Australia, to Sydney.

 

Bishop raised concerns that Chinese lending in the Pacific undermined the sovereignty of the small countries taking the money, and flagged Australia could push back at Chinese infrastructure construction on those islands.

 

"We're concerned that the consequences of entering into some of these financing arrangements will be detrimental to their long-term sovereignty," Bishop said in the Herald interview.

 

"We want to ensure that they retain their sovereignty, that they have sustainable economies and that they are not trapped into unsustainable debt outcomes. The trap can then be a debt-for-equity swap and they have lost their sovereignty," she said.

 

(Reporting by Colin Packham in CANBERRA and Tom Westbrook in SYDNEY; Editing by Paul Tait)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-06-19

[tracker1]

Australia will never scare China ! Australia relies on China for most of its products and produce remembering that the Australian Governments have made millions if not billiond of $$$$$s from Chinese investments and Australian sell offs

[keith101]

I believe the Chinese are out to buy up as much as they can everywhere in the Asia Pacific region to extend their military to all of the region and using their Huawei Technologies to spy on everyone in the process .

[maddox41]

I'm Australian and China and chines have been buying up Australia for decades  

And the Australian government is to blame all the way back to  Gough Whitlam 

Most universities are funded by Chinese students  most of everythng you buy is chinese made as Whitlam said in the 70 s we don'

[mfd101]

8 hours ago, keith101 said:

I believe the Chinese are out to buy up as much as they can everywhere in the Asia Pacific region to extend their military to all of the region and using their Huawei Technologies to spy on everyone in the process .

Yes, that's the broad view of things in Canberra.

[mfd101]

1 hour ago, maddox41 said:

I'm Australian and China and chines have been buying up Australia for decades  

And the Australian government is to blame all the way back to  Gough Whitlam 

Most universities are funded by Chinese students  most of everythng you buy is chinese made as Whitlam said in the 70 s we don'

Well, we have plenty of experience. First it was British imperialism, then Yankee imperialism, and now it's the Chinese. I'm confident we can handle them if we have our eyes wide open & our brains switched on. Gently gently catchee cake all round.

[natway09]

Some of the Australians do come across as a bit bigoted & they are certainly racist

[FitnessHealthTravel]

9 hours ago, tracker1 said:

Australia will never scare China ! Australia relies on China for most of its products and produce remembering that the Australian Governments have made millions if not billiond of $$$$$s from Chinese investments and Australian sell offs

Nice speech but you are way off. It's not about scaring them mate, it's about making sure they don't move into the Pacific like they have overtaken Africa and South America.  Many Chinese land grab deal are being blocked and YES Australia has made Billions in mining contracts but this has softened.  I live, studied and worked in China. I watched the US policies of Obama make China a super power.  As much as Australia doesn't want them in the South Pacific nor does the US.  They can call it what they like but this is an INVASION and they need to be controlled.

[Gillyflower]

Over 60 years ago, I took part in a school debate.  Can't remember the subject, but my father helped me to prepare my part.  I will always remember him saying, "Don't worry about Britain, don't worry about the US, the country to watch is China.  One of these days it will be THE superpower.  I think Dad was a very clever man!

[Srikcir]

15 minutes ago, FitnessHealthTravel said:

Nice speech but you are way off. It's not about scaring them mate, it's about making sure they don't move into the Pacific like they have overtaken Africa and South America.  Many Chinese land grab deal are being blocked and YES Australia has made Billions in mining contracts but this has softened.  I live, studied and worked in China. I watched the US policies of Obama make China a super power.  As much as Australia doesn't want them in the South Pacific nor does the US.  They can call it what they like but this is an INVASION and they need to be controlled.

Australia's best bet is for Australia to expand its interests in establishing regional economic architecture with membership in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP-11).

[lannarebirth]

13 hours ago, keith101 said:

I believe the Chinese are out to buy up as much as they can everywhere in the Asia Pacific region to extend their military to all of the region and using their Huawei Technologies to spy on everyone in the process .

 

Of course they are, but keep it to yourself or you're a xenophobic racist.

[Mad mick]

f off china stop meddling in australian foreign policies that dont suit china's interests or opinions, business , worker or civil rights etc unfortunately to late already moved into the pacific areas war by stealth take over your country now ..

Edited June 20, 2018 by Mad mick
error

[Mad mick]

15 hours ago, maddox41 said:

I'm Australian and China and chines have been buying up Australia for decades  

And the Australian government is to blame all the way back to  Gough Whitlam 

Most universities are funded by Chinese students  most of everythng you buy is chinese made as Whitlam said in the 70 s we don'

knock it off this LNP Australian Government have sold off our country's assets handed them Australian taxpayers money / loans to foreign multinational companies from china, india,  lnp allow them to fly in there workers to work our mines, take our jobs, no other australian government in history has sold off australia as quick as this mob have done? bishop or alice in wonderland just woke up after all the gifts / kickbacks she's been given to soften her up to gain political leverage, corrupt lnp government sold off australia.