DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SERVICE

One absent ambassador and two useful idiots

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Original article by Will Glasgow
The Australian – Page: 1 & 11 : 3-Sep-25

The Chinese government’s Victory Day parade in Beijing will be attended by the leaders of Russia, North Korea, Iran and Myanmar. Australia’s ambassador to China, Scott Dewar, will be a notable absentee, and the nation will be represented by a defence attache and political counsellor from the embassy; in contrast, the then-minister for veteran affairs Michael Ronaldson represented Australia in 2015. Sources have stated that there is "no way" Labor would send a government representative to an event being attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The sources have stressed that former state premiers Bob Carr and Daniel Andrews are attending the event in their personal capacity; Carr is also an ex-foreign minister.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

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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Chinese Communist Party insiders infiltrate Western consulates

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Original article by Sharri Markson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 7 : 14-Dec-20

Members of the Chinese Communist Party are working in at least 10 foreign consulates in Shanghai, including those of Australia, the US and the UK. This follows the examination of a leaked copy of CCP membership records, which has also found that CCP members are working in companies such as Boeing and AstraZeneca, as well as Western universities. Australia hires local staff for its Shanghai consulate through the Shanghai Foreign Agency Service Department, which is a Chinese government agency, and the leaked database indicates that it has at least 12 active CCP branches

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COMMUNIST PARTY (CHINA), BOEING COMPANY, ASTRAZENECA PLC

Embrace Pacific power role

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Original article by Ben Packham
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 2-Jul-19

The new US ambassador to Australia, Arthur ­Culvahouse, says there would be no question of the US not coming to Australia’s aid if the latter was being threatened by a foreign power. Culvahouse says Australia has a lot of standing in the Pacific region, while he says he is confident that Prime Minister Scott Morrison will continue to "call out" bad behaviour by China when he sees it. Culvahouse says that while many Australians know that China is its biggest trading partner, not so many realise that the US is by a long way Australia’s biggest and most important economic partner.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Ignore Trump tweetfest, says US envoy

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Original article by Lisa Murray, Angus Grigg, Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 5-Dec-18

James Carouso, the acting US ambassador to Australia, has told a national security summit that relations between the two countries are still strong, including their military alliance. He added that Australian policymakers should look at the "facts on the ground" rather than unduly focusing on President Donald Trump’s tweets regarding alliances with countries such as Australia. Carouso also emphasised that the US remains committed to retaining a presence in the Asia-Pacific, noting that bilateral trade with the region has increased by 10 per cent under Trump.

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UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, LA TROBE UNIVERSITY, REPUBLICAN PARTY (UNITED STATES), AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LIMITED, DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES), AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Indon FTA on track despite Israel uproar

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Original article by Andrew Tillett, Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 18-Oct-18

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has downplayed concerns that a proposed free-trade agreement with Indonesia may be jeopardised by any change in Australia’s policy on Israel. According to media reports, Foreign Minister Marise Payne has been warned by her Indonesian counterpart that the nations’ bilateral relations would be damaged if Australia relocated its Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Farmers are concerned that Australia’s live cattle exports to Muslim countries could be affected.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, INDONESIA. MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL FARMERS’ FEDERATION LIMITED, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Morrison risks Jakarta’s ire on Israel

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 17-Oct-18

The federal government has attracted criticism in Indonesia after Prime Minister Scott Morrison signalled that it may be open to relocating Australia’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. However, the issue is not expected to affected negotiations for an Australia-Indonesia free-trade agreement unless the embassy is actually moved. Arab diplomats in Australia have criticised the federal government’s lack of consultation, but Jewish groups have welcomed the change in the Coalition’s policy regarding Israel.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED NATIONS. GENERAL ASSEMBLY, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, INDONESIA. MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AUSTRALIA-ISRAEL AND JEWISH AFFAIRS COUNCIL, EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIAN JEWRY

PM open to embassy in Jerusalem

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 16-Oct-18

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will announce closer defence relations with Israel in a foreign policy statement to be released on 16 October. He has also indicated that the federal government may consider relocating Australia’s embassy from Tel Aviv to West Jerusalem, adding that the issue has been raised in a meeting of cabinet’s national security committee. Morrison has stressed that the government’s stance on Israel is not linked to the by-election in the seat of Wentworth, which has a large Jewish community.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

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.

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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)

Russians out: Canberra joins West’s Putin revolt

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Original article by Simon Benson, Paul Maley
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 28-Mar-18

The Australian Government has expelled two diplomats from the Russian embassy in Canberra, in response to the nerve gas attack on double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England. The diplomats were both undeclared intelligence officers who are said to have been under surveillance by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. More than 100 Russian have now been expelled by 24 nations, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull stating that the concerted response has sent a "clear and unequivocal message" to Russia in the wake of the assassination attempt. Russia continues to deny any involvement in the plot.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT, AUSTRALIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE ORGANISATION