The former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has accused the west of “appeasing” Beijing and has claimed credit for rallying other countries to “call out the bullying of the Chinese government”. In a speech to be delivered at a conference in Tokyo on Friday, Morrison is also expected to urge the Albanese government to consider using Magnitsky-style targeted human rights sanctions laws to hold Chinese government officials accountable. But Morrison did not introduce sanctions against any Chinese officials prior to leading the Coalition to its May 2022 election loss. In…
Tag: Australian foreign policy
Kevin Rudd: Australia’s incoming ambassador to US says balloon saga threatens push to ease tensions with China
The incoming Australian ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, has warned the Chinese balloon saga has created new “diplomatic clouds” that put at risk recent efforts to ease tensions between Beijing and Washington. In a speech in Brisbane on Wednesday, Rudd also warned against expecting any “softening in China’s ideological cleavage with the west”. Rudd, a former Labor prime minister who remains as president of the Asia Society until late next month, emphasised that he was offering “personal reflections” which “do not represent the views of the Australian government”.…
Australia closer to a free trade pact with EU but minister warns there won’t be a deal ‘for the sake of it’
Australian and European Union negotiators believe they are getting closer to clinching a free trade agreement as they race to meet a mid-year deadline, but the Albanese government warns it will “not sign a deal for the sake of it”. Guardian Australia understands officials finalised three chapters of the agreement – on competition, telecommunications and maritime services – during a round of negotiations last week in Canberra. The thorny issue of geographical indicators – the EU push to restrict the use of terms such as prosecco and feta by Australian…
Chinese-made security cameras to be removed from Australian government buildings
The federal government has committed to removing Chinese-made security cameras at government buildings across Australia, admitting there is a potential security problem that needs to be addressed. An audit of surveillance equipment, conducted by the shadow cybersecurity minister, James Paterson, has confirmed that more than 900 products built by Chinese companies Hikvision and Dahua are installed at government locations. The US and the UK have already banned these products at government locations, with the US Federal Communications Commission warning of an “unacceptable risk to national security” due to possible espionage…
Australian coal shipment to arrive at Chinese port as unofficial import ban ends
Australian coal cargoes are scheduled to start arriving at Chinese ports on Wednesday, unwinding an unofficial ban imposed amid fraying bilateral relations two-and-a-half years ago. The resumption of the bilateral coal trade marks a significant improvement in relations, which hit a low point at the start of the pandemic after Australia pushed for an independent investigation into the origins of Covid-19, angering Beijing officials. China imposed official and unofficial sanctions on a range of Australian products, including wine, lobsters, timber and barley. It left more valuable commodities such as iron…
As US-China rivalry heats up, can Australia defuse the risk of superpower conflict? | Susannah Patton
As spy stories go, the recent foray and ultimate demise of China’s surveillance balloon across the United States is not very promising. Beijing probably did not learn any state secrets, and the eventual downing of the unmanned aerial system once it was safely over water is hardly the stuff of Le Carré. Yet the balloon incident is a powerful illustration of why Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has been calling for the US and China to put in place “guardrails” to manage their competition responsibly. Coming only months after…
Australia’s diplomatic influence in Asia on the rise as ALP advances interests abroad
Australia has enjoyed a big increase in its diplomatic influence in Asia over the past year, according to the latest ratings of power across the region. The Lowy Institute’s Asia Power Index, published on Monday, also shows Australia’s standing has emerged unscathed from pandemic-era disruptions, unlike the region’s big players the US and China and many other countries. The Sydney-based thinktank ranks 26 countries and territories in terms of their power and influence in Asia. It is calculated from scores in 133 categories covering military capability, economic capability and diplomatic…
All countries must help prevent ‘catastrophic’ war amid China-US tensions, Australian minister says
The Australian foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, will call on all countries to play their part to prevent a “catastrophic” war in the Indo-Pacific region. Amid increasing tensions between the United States and China, Wong will use a speech in London on Tuesday to warn that the region is becoming “more dangerous and volatile”. She will also welcome the United Kingdom’s increased involvement in the Indo-Pacific despite the ongoing focus on the conflict in Ukraine. The UK’s stance recognises that a war in the region would have far-reaching impacts across…
Australia vows to keep raising human rights concerns with China despite ambassador’s warning
Xiao Qian implies resumption of dialogue conditional on Australia taking a ‘constructive attitude’ and not ‘trying to smear China’ Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast The Australian government has vowed to keep raising human rights concerns “at the highest levels” after Beijing’s ambassador urged the country to avoid “trying to smear China”. After a thaw in the diplomatic relationship between the two countries, China has signalled its openness to resuming a dedicated human rights-focused dialogue for the first time in nine years. Sign…
In from the cold? Australia and China eye first meeting of trade ministers in more than three years
Australia and China are in discussions about arranging a virtual meeting between the trade minister, Don Farrell, and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao, in the coming weeks. This would be the first conversation between an Australian trade minister and a Chinese commerce minister in more than three years, in the latest sign of efforts to “stabilise” the turbulent relationship with Australia’s largest trading partner. There has been growing speculation that Farrell may visit China as early as February to continue to pursue Australia’s case that trade “blockages” – including hefty…