Yun Jiang doesn’t mince her words when reflecting on how the recent decline in Australia’s relationship with China has affected Chinese Australians. “It’s almost as if we’re already at war,” the scholar and former government policy adviser says. “During times of war, we are kind of forced to choose.” Australian government rhetoric on China may have cooled since Labor came to office, but Chinese Australian communities are still dealing with the consequences of “drums of war” fears stoked over the past few years. Some say the media’s negative portrayal of…
Tag: Australian politics
UK espionage saga a ‘wake-up call’ for Australian parliament, opposition says
An espionage scandal in the UK should serve as a “major wake-up call” for Australia, a senior opposition member has said. Australia’s shadow home affairs minister, James Paterson, called on both countries to “harden” their political systems to reduce the risk of alleged compromise, including wider use of vetting of staff members. British MPs complained that they should have been told sooner than an aide operating at the heart of parliament had been arrested on suspicion of allegedly spying for China and breaching the UK’s Official Secrets Act. The man,…
Australia news live: Dutton says opposition ‘won’t be departing’ from net zero, China welcomes PM’s confirmed visit
From 26m ago Paul Karp Dutton says opposition ‘won’t be departing’ from net zero In recent days some in the Nationals have agitated to abandon the commitment to net zero, through a motion to be debated at Nationals conference and comments from frontbencher Barnaby Joyce that the estimated cost of net zero was “utterly untenable”. The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has just rejected that push, telling Radio National the Coalition “won’t be departing” from net zero. He said: No [it doesn’t concern me], there’s strong support for net zero. It’s…
Australia’s big bet is that Asia still matters to the US. But does it really? Sam Roggeveen
Australia has made its big bet on the US based on the key assumption that Asia really matters to Washington. Australia is placing a lot of chips on the red, white and blue, so we had better be sure that this assumption holds up. Does it? Some who question American staying power in Asia argue that the US simply isn’t strong enough to maintain its leadership – it is too politically dysfunctional, racially divided and economically unequal. We shouldn’t dismiss such concerns, especially the increasingly realistic fear that the next…
Australia news live: Anthony Albanese to announce referendum date as poll puts yes ahead in South Australia
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Detained Australian writer fears he may die of kidney condition in China jail
Detained Australian writer Yang Hengjun fears he could die in a Chinese prison from a worsening medical condition he says is not being properly treated. He has told supporters he is in pain from a large cyst on his kidney. The Australian government is being urged to intervene and secure, through diplomatic means, his release to Australia on medical parole. “If something happens with my health and I die in here, people outside won’t know the truth. That is frustrating,” Yang said from detention. “If something happens to me, who…
Anthony Albanese vows to press Xi Jinping to remove trade barriers on Australian wine, lobster and beef
Anthony Albanese has promised to stand up for Australian wine, lobster and beef exporters when he meets with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, as early as next month. The prime minister said in a speech on Monday night that recent progress was “the result of the deliberate, consistent and principled approach we have taken to stabilising the relationship”. While welcoming Beijing’s decision to scrap hefty tariffs on Australian barley, Albanese said he would press for other trade impediments to be removed. Albanese said the resumption of the barley trade between…
Saudi Arabia stepped in when China would not buy Australian barley, but will that trade survive?
The Australian barley trade is expected to shift back to China from the surging Saudi Arabian market after the resolution of a dispute over tariffs that wiped out nearly $1bn a year in exports. China slapped 80.5% tariffs on the grain in 2020 after a dispute with the Morrison government, forcing Australian growers to find new markets. At its peak, the Chinese market imported almost 70% of Australia’s barley. However, since 2020, much of that grain was redirected to Saudi Arabia in a move welcomed by farm advocates and the…
Pro-democracy advocate says Australia should prepare to lay future sanctions against Hong Kong officials
An Australian citizen who the Hong Kong authorities have vowed to “pursue for life” has risked further ire from Beijing by calling on the Australian government to consider future sanctions against Chinese officials. Kevin Yam, one of eight overseas-based pro-democracy advocates accused of “encouraging sanctions … to destroy Hong Kong”, said the city’s descent into increasingly repressive rule had been “gut-wrenching”. In his most extensive interview since arrest warrants and “bounties” were announced last month, the Melbourne-based lawyer also expressed concern for two other Australian citizens detained in China. Yam…
China agrees to scrap barley tariffs in easing of trade tensions with Australia
China has agreed to scrap its 80% tariffs on Australian barley, in a major win for Canberra’s push to ease trade barriers between the two countries. The tariffs were first imposed in 2020 at the height of tensions, and prompted a lengthy challenge by Australia through the World Trade Organization. In a notice on its website published on Friday, China’s commerce ministry announced that “in view of the changes in the market situation of barley in China” it was “no longer necessary to continue to impose anti-dumping duties and countervailing…