Australia rejects Chinese 'economic coercion' threat amid planned coronavirus probe

[Expat Brad]

2 hours ago, lockyv7 said:

prime scotch fillet export quality steak has dropped from $30 a kg to $20 a kg here in Australia in the past couple of weeks. We now have a oversupply of the stuff. 

 

 

The devil you dois all good but, it will not sustain the economy as a whole. If, we start manufacturing domestically for export, the goods will be expensive thus, only niche markets will be found, again niche markets will not be enough!!!

[Logosone]

Australia is doing the right thing, however, when countries like the US use economic blackmail as national policy as a matter of course, then they are setting an example to follow. Not surprisingly China is taking a leaf out of the book that was thrown at them. Still, just as childish and reprehensible as when the US do it.

 

 

[Burma Bill]

Quote:-

"the “Chinese public” could avoid Australian products and universities"

If that is so, then I hope the "Worldwide public" would avoid Chinese products and universities!!!!

[animalmagic]

7 hours ago, kingdong said:

Think you'll find they,'re recolonizing africa.

That's been happening for years. 

In my simplistic view the 'Belt and Road' initiative is simply a way of exporting debt to lesser developed countries.  China lends money to invest in infrastructure that benefits China and their transportation of goods.  A huge global economic downturn, caused by a pandemic for example, would mean that those lesser developed countries with fragile economies cannot make the repayments and China has to take over the facilities.

Recently saw a news article on Wionews showing that China is stockpiling oil and grain at record low prices caused by the current situation.

Follow the money.

[samran]

7 hours ago, pegman said:

Trump will be demanding China buy beef from his base cattle ranchers to replace boycotted Australian meat. If the American consumer hasn't shunned Chinese goods till now why in hell will they start now? Walmart didn't become what it is today by being  patriotic. Same can be said for Apple and their Chinese supply chain.  Australia is on its own.  Recovery will be long and hard without China buying its exports. 

I suspect you are right.

 

When the UK shut Australia out of preferential trading deals following it joining the EEC, Australia spent 20 years diversifying its export base.

 

The rise of China meant that Australia gravitated to having only one big customer. And this made sense if you were an exporter - large and small - China was paying the best price for what you were selling.

 

The huffing and puffing won't work. It will please the punters (including me) but won't achieve much. Australia instead should focus on a quiet deliberate diversification of its export base as well as its customers. This will mean even more effort into locking in real FTAs with our regional neighbours and other like minded countries in the world, such as the UK, Canada, and if they can be bothered, the US.

Edited April 28, 2020 by samran

[AgMech Cowboy]

11 hours ago, pegman said:

If Morrison somehow thinks  other countries will join his ongoing crusade against the Chinese he's nuts.

I think he will have a number countries joining the 'crusade'. At least the ones that are not leaning to a socialist ideology. And they will be countries that form a major part of china's market.

[simple1]

34 minutes ago, samran said:

I suspect you are right.

 

When the UK shut Australia out of preferential trading deals following it joining the EEC, Australia spent 20 years diversifying its export base.

 

The rise of China meant that Australia gravitated to having only one big customer. And this made sense if you were an exporter - large and small - China was paying the best price for what you were selling.

 

The huffing and puffing won't work. It will please the punters (including me) but won't achieve much. Australia instead should focus on a quiet deliberate diversification of its export base as well as its customers. This will mean even more effort into locking in real FTAs with our regional neighbours and other like minded countries in the world, such as the UK, Canada, and if they can be bothered, the US.

IMO trump completely stuffed up when he turned down the TPP and handed over the advantage to China. Don't know how the CPTPP is tracking for Oz with its trade with Canada. Hopefully an UK/Oz FTA won't take too long to finalise.

 

[LeamchabangLarry]

The world would do well to start moving all dependencies from China. 

Their behavior has been despicable and infantile.  F those guys.

Now is the time for the world to collectively put them in their place 

[Eric Loh]

Really a zero sum game for Australia to pursue with the probe. What’s the gain to continue the probe versus loss in GDP when Chinese bypassed them on tourism and education and divert import on mining products. Australia really don’t have that many products that have global branding power. 

[samran]

18 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Really a zero sum game for Australia to pursue with the probe. What’s the gain to continue the probe versus loss in GDP when Chinese bypassed them on tourism and education and divert import on mining products. Australia really don’t have that many products that have global branding power. 

It’s all about diplomatic leverage. Float the idea, let it gain traction. Something for China to have to negotiate against - something that wasn’t there before. 
 

[LeamchabangLarry]

1 minute ago, samran said:

It’s all about diplomatic leverage. Float the idea, let it gain traction. Something for China to have to negotiate against - something that wasn’t there before. 
 

And Australia is not in this alone.  Other countries including the US and those in the EU with cajones will push

[Eric Loh]

11 minutes ago, samran said:

It’s all about diplomatic leverage. Float the idea, let it gain traction. Something for China to have to negotiate against - something that wasn’t there before. 
 

The probe will be an exhaustive battle of words while a boycott will harm Australia in a more tangible manner real quick. If there is a diplomatic win, it would just be words of assurance from China to be more open. We seen this before. China will continue to behave their own way that they deemed necessary for their survival. 

[RichardColeman]

I have absolutely no faith in any investigation by the WHO. BUT I am willing to give them a chance. Give them 1 year to come up with results, including when it start, where it started and how it can be avoided next time - and if that means banning wet markets throughout the world so be it.

 

Now, if they cannot come up with the nation where it started and why it started, they are not fit for purpose and should be disbanded

[samran]

47 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

The probe will be an exhaustive battle of words while a boycott will harm Australia in a more tangible manner real quick.

I agree. Said the same thing in my post before.

[Roadman]

10 hours ago, pegman said:

Trump will be demanding China buy beef from his base cattle ranchers to replace boycotted Australian meat. If the American consumer hasn't shunned Chinese goods till now why in hell will they start now? Walmart didn't become what it is today by being  patriotic. Same can be said for Apple and their Chinese supply chain.  Australia is on its own.  Recovery will be long and hard without China buying its exports. 

You are missing one major point. The Aussies are asking fairly for an investigation into the coronavirus origins and spreads. Somewhat a hell of a lot more palatable than the accusations coming from the idiot in the White House swamp.  

[samran]

2 hours ago, simple1 said:

IMO trump completely stuffed up when he turned down the TPP and handed over the advantage to China. Don't know how the CPTPP is tracking for Oz with its trade with Canada. Hopefully an UK/Oz FTA won't take too long to finalise.

 

Trump doesn't play well with anyone so it seems, but he is keener on pissing off his friends than China and Russia.

[Dumbastheycome]

While it is a fair and reasonable request to achieve an honest answer to the questions surrounding this outbreak it has been made problematic by virtue of speculation,accusations and insults based more on convenient political diversion than on any specific conclusive information made public. Were that  to be put aside and some more diplomatic approach made it could be productive. Not only in respect of China  but the WHO as well. Unfortunately Australia is currently also engaged with US  Naval forces in a demonstration of strength in the South  China Sea purportedly to dissuade China from moves on Taiwan.

So while  Australia's call has been worded appropriately and diplomatically in regard to the Covid-19 issue it ignores the fact that other issues are also a part of the CCP's  considerations of challenges that also include the question of legality or not of the claims to atolls in the South China Sea which lie among many disputes globally involves the complex definition of territories to the edge of continental shelves.

IMO Australia  need  be  very careful it not become a pawn.

 

 

 

 

[Baerboxer]

19 hours ago, AussieBob18 said:

Great news - proud that there are Aussie politicians willing to stand up and be counted, and refuse to buckle under China's coercion.  I have seen quite a few stories about China's response to many claims they are liable and should be investigated, and not one, not a single one, says something like: 'China is willing to cooperate with an investigation and we will show that China acted correctly and did not conceal any information'.  And I doubt I will ever see one. 

 

Fair play to the Aussie government. They haven't caved in to Chinese economic threats like the weak EU did.

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

I have absolutely no faith in any investigation by the WHO. BUT I am willing to give them a chance. Give them 1 year to come up with results, including when it start, where it started and how it can be avoided next time - and if that means banning wet markets throughout the world so be it.

 

Now, if they cannot come up with the nation where it started and why it started, they are not fit for purpose and should be disbanded

 

The communist WHO boss will never do or say anything that might offend the biggest communist government in the world.

[samran]

28 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Fair play to the Aussie government. They haven't caved in to Chinese economic threats like the weak EU did.

Give it 5 minutes. There will be face saving statements of 'misunderstandings'. Heavy lobbying from the universities, iron ore and coal miners, plus the wheat and beef farmers will see to that.

 

I suspect though that the government will also be telling them to diversify their income streams from here on in.

[Tropicalevo]

21 hours ago, JensenZ said:

The industry of Chinese students attending Australian universities is not a favour China is bestowing on Australia. It is done because it's a good economical solution for Chinese students wanting to study abroad.

 

It's the same situation with beef, wine and other exports etc. They buy it because it's good and reasonably priced.

 

The Chinese travel there because they want to see Australia, not because they are doing Australia a favour.

 

That was a very good response today by the Australian Foreign Minister. I hope they don't give in to this coercion. Hopefully the rest of the world will follow Australia's lead and put more pressure on China and the WHO.

 

 

Wrell answered.

The bit that you missed is that they also want to buy Australia! One property or business at a time.

[GreasyFingers]

On 4/27/2020 at 5:58 PM, snoop1130 said:

We reject any suggestion that economic coercion is an appropriate response to a call for such an assessment, when what we need is global cooperation,” Payne said.

Nothing to to do with American (I wish the mods would let me use Australian slang) coercion.

[GreasyFingers]

9 hours ago, car720 said:

They are easily defined.  Ubiquitous obfuscation.

Do they know the English language that well.

[Mavideol]

my father used to say.... if you have nothing to hide let them investigate

[Mavideol]

1 hour ago, Tropicalevo said:

Wrell answered.

The bit that you missed is that they also want to buy Australia! One property or business at a time.

did you mean Australia is part of the south China sea they claim 555

[GreasyFingers]

2 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Fair play to the Aussie government. They haven't caved in to Chinese economic threats like the weak EU did.

Refer to #55

[Puchaiyank]

Just imagine a world where China controls all commerce and is the supreme military power.

 

They will guarantee that if your country balks at their aggression...they will send in the N. Koreans to help educate your leaders...

[rkidlad]

Well done, Australia. Wish my country would show some b****. 

 

The hypocrisy of the CCP is mind blowing. They're an authoritarian regime who think it's perfectly okay to control and monitor every aspect of their citizens' lives with the old adage of, "If you've done nothing wrong, you've got nothing to hide", but when it's asked of them, all they can do is make childish threats. 

 

Let their wolf diplomacy expose them more and more for who they really are. A bully that can't accept one iota of criticism. Good riddance, hopefully. The citizens of the world are certainly waking up to your BS. 

[GreasyFingers]

1 minute ago, Puchaiyank said:

Just imagine a world where China controls all commerce and is the supreme military power.

 

They will guarantee that if your country balks at their aggression...they will send in the N. Koreans to help educate your leaders...

What is it like to be paranoid?

[watthong]

On 4/27/2020 at 5:58 PM, snoop1130 said:

Payne said an “honest assessment” of the pandemic would seek to strengthen the WHO’s role.

Still believe in WHO, Ms Payne? WHO has lost all shreds of credibility when it profusedly thanked the CCP for stopping the spread of the virus. You don't thank the arsonist for having stopped spreading the fire.