AUSTRALIA – FOREIGN RELATIONS – CHINA

US, China ignite hi-tech row

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Original article by Glenda Korporaal, Primrose Riordan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 9 : 30-Jan-19

The Chinese Government claims that US charges against Huawei and chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou are politically ­motivated. Amongst other things, the US has accused them of breaching US trade sanctions against Iran, money-laundering and stealing trade secrets. The Lowy Institute’s Richard McGregor says the charges could have an impact on Australia’s future relationship with China, while Defence Minister ­Christopher Pyne says the US should focus on issues such as the South China Sea. The US and China will shortly commence trade talks in Washington.

CORPORATES
HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LIMITED, LOWY INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF DEFENCE, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF JUSTICE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HOME AFFAIRS, TPG TELECOM LIMITED – ASX TPM, T-MOBILE USA INCORPORATED, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF COMMERCE, ZTE CORPORATION

Payne’s trip ends Chinese freeze

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Original article by Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 6-Nov-18

Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne will meet with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during a two-day visit to Beijing from 8 November. The trip is part of efforts to improve the strained relations between the two nations, and could potentially lead to an official trip to China by Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Payne and Wang had held talks during a United Nations conference in August, which led to the invitation for Payne to visit China.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CHINA. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION

Long-term deals key to iron-clad alliance

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Original article by Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 20 : 24-Sep-18

BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metal Group were among the Australian iron ore companies that were represented at the recent China International Steel & Raw Materials Conference. Australia currently supplies 62 per cent of China’s seaborne iron ore, with iron ore being Australia’s biggest export to China. Businesses involved in commerce between Australia and China are hopeful that the relationship between the two countries, which has been somewhat strained in recent times, will improve under new Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, ROY HILL HOLDINGS PTY LTD, VALE SA, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Howard: End freeze with China

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Original article by Dennis Shanahan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 8 : 1-Jun-18

Former prime minister John Howard has made the point that Chinese president Xi Jinping likes Australia. With the relationship between Australia and China somewhat strained at the moment, Howard suggests that a face-to-face meeting between their respective leaders would be a good starting point in helping to ease tensions. He notes that the "turning point" in a 1996 dispute between Australia and China over naval rights in the Taiwan Straits was a meeting in Manila between himself and Jiang Zemin, China’s president at the time.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA-CHINA RELATIONS INSTITUTE

Forrest joins Bishop in China media attack

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 16-May-18

Fortescue Metals Group has exported more than one billion tonnes of iron ore since its inaugural shipment to a Chinese customer in May 2008. Fortescue founder Andrew Forrest has marked the 10th anniversary by criticising the Australian media’s coverage of China. He was especially scathing of the print media’s on the negative aspects of Australia’s relationship with China. Meanwhile, Forrest said Fortescue is progressing with its expansion into South America, as well as plans to diversify into other minerals.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, SHANGHAI BAOSTEEL GROUP CORPORATION

China delivers trade warning amid strain on ties

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Original article by Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 19-Apr-18

Cheng Jingye, China’s ambassador to Australia, says relations between the two nation have become increasingly strained since mid-2017. The Federal Government’s proposed foreign interference laws have been a particular concern for China, even though no specific country has been identified as a target for the laws. Cheng has urged action to improve relations and mutual trust between the two nations, arguing that China presents a massive trade opportunity for Australia. He adds that failure to improve relations could have trade implications for Australia.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH-EAST ASIAN NATIONS, BOAO FORUM FOR ASIA, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, GROUP OF TWENTY (G-20)

Business urges Turnbull to patch China rift

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Original article by Andrew Tillett, Jennifer Hewett, Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Apr-18

Business leaders have urged Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to take steps to improve Australia’s seemingly strained relationship with China. There are a number of factors behind the recent poor relationship between the two countries, including attacks on China’s Pacific foreign aid policy by International Development Minister Concetta Fierravanti-Wells and the federal government’s foreign interference laws. Former Labor foreign minister Bob Carr contends that the government has increased its "anti-Chinese rhetoric" since the start of 2017 in an attempt to impress Donald Trump.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA CHINA BUSINESS COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (CHINA), UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY

Shorten weighs up move on Dastyari

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Original article by Simon Benson, Andrew Clennell, Rachel Baxendale
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 12-Dec-17

Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is under growing pressure to take action regarding senator Sam Dastyari, who is continuing to attract scrutiny over his links with China. Opinion within Labor’s ranks is divided, with Tony Burke and Anthony Albanese publicly supporting Dastyari, while Catherine King and Linda Burney are among those who believe that he should resign. Former Labor leader Kim Beazley has urged Dastyari to act in the best interests of his party and the nation, while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has described Shorten’s lack of action on the issue of Dastyari as a scandal.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CHINA. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY. AUSTRALIA-CHINA RELATIONS INSTITUTE

PM defiant in escalating China row

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Original article by Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 11-Dec-17

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made it clear on the weekend of 10-11 December that he thinks China has been trying to interfere in Australian politics. Some China analysts have suggested that Turnbull might have been wiser to voice his concerns over the issue in private rather than in public, and that he might have been trying to use the issue to score domestic political points. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop believes that the relationship between Australia and China is strong enough to survive the current controversy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION, CHINA. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE

US collision course with China

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Original article by John Kehoe, Lisa Murray, Angus Grigg, Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 10 : 13-Jan-17

US Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson has issued a stern warning to China. He told the US Senate on 12 January 2017 that China should not be allowed to access disputed islands in the South China Sea. Hugh White, a professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University, is alarmed by Tillerson’s bellicose statement, which he sees as a sign of his ignorance and irresponsibility. If the US-China relationship deteriorates, Australia will be under pressure to choose between the two countries.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. DEPT OF STATE, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET