Category: China-Australia Relations

Australia’s Foreign Minister Says ‘Long Road’ Ahead to Stabilize Relations With China

Australia wants to stabilize relations with China but expects this to be a gradual process, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said after a meeting with her Chinese counterpart on Friday. Speaking to reporters, Wong said that she had a “constructive meeting” with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi about a range of issues on the sidelines…


Taiwanese Academic Warns Australia About Beijing’s ‘Dangerous Expansion’

The recently assassinated former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe once said “A Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency, and therefore an emergency for the Japan–U.S. alliance.” Australia should adopt the same stance now, according to a Taiwanese expert. Dr. David Yeau-Tarn Lee called on Australia to play a stronger role in combating the Chinese Communist Party…


Australia ‘Deeply Disappointed’ in Beijing’s Unfounded Criticism of AUKUS

The Australian government has pushed back on criticism from Beijing over the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, saying the statement contains “numerous misleading and incorrect assertions.” It comes after the Chinese Embassy in Canberra released a statement claiming a report from the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossim, was  “neither neutral…


Media Mischaracterising AUKUS and Ignoring Benefits: Defence Experts

Media outlets have mischaracterised the AUKUS deal and focused too much on the challenges of helping Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines while ignoring the significant technology exchange between the U.S., UK, and Australia, according to defence experts at a recent Hudson Institute panel discussion. Australian Senator Andrew Hastie joined the Institute’s Asia-Pacific Security Chair Patrick Cronin, a…


IPAC Alliance To Campaign Globally Against CCP on Human Rights Violations

Politicians from around the world have agreed to campaign worldwide for the imposition of sanctions on Chinese human rights abusers under a multinational plan. The decision is part of the latest plan of action in response to the behaviour of Beijing from the global Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), which held its annual summit in…


‘Toxic’ Values Undermining US Ability to Tackle Beijing: Senator

Visiting Australian Senator Andrew Hastie says basic struggles with identifying gender are undermining the ability of the United States to lead the developed world in opposing military aggression from Beijing. “These tensions are tearing at the fabric of our democracies, many among us are no longer confident of truth, tradition, and our democratic values,” Hastie,…


Beijing Requests for Help With Trade Pact Application Ignored by Australia

The Australian government has refused to respond to Beijing’s “repeated” requests to begin negotiations to join one of the world’s most extensive free-trade agreements. This is despite suggestions from Beijing that the current frosty relations between the two countries would improve if Australia backed its admission to the bloc. China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian…


Senator Concerned Australian Pension Funds Could Seek Out China Market

Sen. James Paterson says he is concerned Australian pension funds (superannuation) could seek out investment opportunities in countries run by authoritarian regimes like China. “We’re not as big a global investor as the United States is, but our superannuation industry—our pensions funds—are increasingly large and are really outgrowing the Australian economy and need to invest…


Beijing Claims UN Nuclear Watchdog’s Report on AUKUS ‘Lopsided’

Beijing has panned the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog for giving a positive assessment of the progress of the AUKUS deal so far. “The Agency, on the basis of technical consultations and exchanges it has conducted with the AUKUS parties to date, is satisfied with the level of their engagement,” according to a report from the…


Human Rights Watch Urges Australia to Act on CCP’s Human Rights Abuses in Xinjiang

An advocacy group is calling on the Australian government to sanction Chinese officials for human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region. Human Rights Watch (HRW), an international non-governmental organization that works to raise awareness of human rights abuses globally, published an article on Sept. 13, urging the Australian government to “take firm action” against the…