AUSTRALIA – FOREIGN RELATIONS – CHINA

China invasion forecasts unrealistic: Morrison

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Original article by Will Glasgow
The Australian – Page: 4 : 8-Mar-23

Former prime minister Scott Morrison has downplayed concerns that China may invade Taiwan in coming years. US military officials have warned that China could potentially attack Taiwan within three years, but Morrison contends that any such assessments should be taken with "a grain of salt". He added that Australia’s increased defence spending and alignment with other countries is part of an effort to create an "enduring balance" in the Asia-Pacific region. Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping has accused the US and its allies of implementing a policy of "all-round containment, encirclement and suppression" of China. Foreign Minister Qin Gang in turn has reiterated that China wants to take control of Taiwan by "peaceful means"; however, he adds that China reserves the right to
take "all necessary measures" to achieve this.

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Australia a greater cyber-attack target

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Original article by Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 2 : 6-Mar-23

Former head of the US National Security Agency Mike Rogers claims the apparent improvement in relations between China and Australia will not see a reduction in the level of China’s cyber activity against Australia. Rogers says Australia’s involvement in alliances such as AUKUS and the Quad make it an increased target for cyber attacks, as does the automation of industries such as mining. He suggests that the strong response from both the government and the public to the cyber attacks on Optus and Medibank would serve as more of an incentive than a disincentive for future attacks.

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UNITED STATES. NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL

Worry about Japan not China, says Beijing’s top envoy in Australia

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Original article by Matthew Knott
The Age – Page: Online : 11-Jan-23

China’s ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian says the relationship between the two nations is at "a critical stage of turnaround". Xiao has claimed that the AUKUS alliance is targeting China and buying nuclear-powered submarines will not solve Australia’s security concerns. Xiao contends that Japan is a greater military threat than his nation, given that Japan has never officially apologised for its conduct during World War II, including the bombing of Darwin and the mistreatment of prisoners of war. He argues that the lack of an apology means that Japan could potentially go to war with Australia again. However, Australia and Japan have established close security ties in recent decades.

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‘Ice thaws, but slowly’: Experts optimistic on China trade

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Original article by Gus McCubbing
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 23-Dec-22

Warwick Smith believes that Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi will result in an easing of the $20 billion worth of trade sanctions that China imposed in Australia in 2020. Smith, who is the chairman of the Business Council of Australia’s global engagement committee, has described Wong as a "consummate diplomat". Taiwan-based Australian National University political analyst Wen-Ti Sung said he agrees with Wong’s comment that, in terms of trade, the "ice thaws, but slowly", while former Chinese diplomat Han Yang thinks Australia will have to make policy concessions to secure the release of Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun, who are currently detained in China.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Liberal Party vows to adopt more sensitive language on China

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Original article by Matthew Knott, Eryk Bagshaw
The Age – Page: Online : 23-Dec-22

The review into the Liberal Party’s defeat in the May federal election found that the swing against it was significantly higher in electorates which have high concentrations of voters of Chinese ancestry. The review stated that party representatives need to be sensitive to the genuine concerns of the Chinese community and to ensure the language that they use cannot be misinterpreted as insensitive. The release of the review came as Foreign Minister Penny Wong returned from her quick visit to Beijing, with her visit being the first by an Australian foreign minister in four years.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Wong warns of hard issues

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Original article by Andrew Tillett, Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 21-Dec-22

Foreign Minister Penny Wong is the first federal government minister to visit China since 2019. Her meeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday will coincide with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Wong has downplayed expectations that her visit to China will result in an improvement in the strained relations between the two nations, noting that many of the hard issues will take time to resolve in Australia’s interests. Wong has indicated that she will push for China to ease restrictions on Australian exports and to release two Australians who have been detained on national security charges.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

First step in long China thaw

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Original article by Ben Packham, Amanda Hodge, Will Glasgow
The Australian – Page: 1 & 7 : 16-Nov-22

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described his brief meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 leaders’ summit as an important step to moving forward in the bilateral relationship between the two nations. Albanese and Xi talked for 32 minutes on the sidelines of the Bali summit, with the latter praising Albanese for handling relations between the two countries in a "mature manner". Albanese raised a number of issues during the meeting, including China’s trade bans on Australian imports and Australia’s concerns about alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang province. He also urged Xi to release two Australian citizens who have been detained in China on espionage charges and to use his influence with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

PM breaks ice with China

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Original article by Ben Packham, Amanda Hodge
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 14-Nov-22

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese briefly spoke with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the East Asia Summit’s gala dinner on Saturday night. It was the first face-to-face meeting between leaders of the two nations in three years, and Albanese says the four-minute conversation focused on the upcoming 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and China. Albanese also had an unscheduled 40-minute meeting with US President Joe Biden on the final day of the summit on Sunday; they discussed issues such as the AUKUS alliance and climate change, and Albanese invited Biden to address a joint sitting of parliament in 2023 when he visits Australia for a meeting of Quadrilateral Security Dialogue nations. Albanese hopes to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 leaders’ summit in Bali.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, EAST ASIA SUMMIT, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

China feud helps push Australia down to 27th in peace index

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Original article by Latika Burke
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 17-Jun-22

Global peace has deteriorated for the third consecutive year in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and it has now fallen 11 times in the last 14 years. This is according to the latest Global Peace Index, which is compiled by the Sydney-based Institute for Economics & Peace. Australia’s decision to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and its combative relationship with China saw the nation fall nine places to 27th. Meanwhile, terrorism is at its lowest level globally in the 16-year history of the Index.

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INSTITUTE FOR ECONOMICS AND PEACE LIMITED

China accuses Australia of violent interference in Five Eyes response to Hong Kong election

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Original article by Daniel Hurst, Vincent Ni
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 22-Dec-21

Australia’s relationship with major trading partner China have become further strained in the wake of the recent election in Hong Kong. Australia and other members of the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence alliance issued a joint statement expressing concern about the outcome of the election, which will result in Hong Kong’s new legislature being dominated by pro-Beijing candidates. China has responded by strongly condemning the joint statement; it has also accused Australia of "violently" interfering in China’s internal affairs, while noting that Australia has in turn been highly critical of other countries for alleged foreign interference.

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