Coal and wine exporters are feeling the chill from Canberra’s frosty relationship with Beijing. Australian companies that depend on China should all take note: The go-go years are over.
The Chinese embassy in Australia shared a detailed list of 14 grievances that Beijing has against the country, extending far beyond China’s core interests and directly criticizing internal Australian affairs.
After months of vague accusations that Australia had broken “mutual trust” with China, Beijing has made explicit a list of grievances with the country.
The Biden transition team said that the president-elect had spoken with the leaders of Australia, Japan, and South Korea, as the next administration is expected to use allies to pressure China. How else might Biden change U.S.-China relations?
China is heightening its barriers to Australian imports in a pressure campaign that began in April, after Australia started to call for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. Meanwhile, Beijing is working to limit the independence of an expected WHO-led team.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with his Japanese, Indian, and Australian counterparts in Tokyo today and urged the four countries to build a “true security framework” to “counter the challenge that the Chinese Communist Party presents.”
Tensions between China and Australia have escalated again after Beijing revealed that Chinese citizens were targeted in an investigation into influence operations.
As Australia’s relationship with China reached new lows, Bill Birtles of the Australian ABC and Michael Smith of the Australian Financial Review both sought to leave the country. For five days, China blocked their exit, leading to tense diplomatic negotiations.
Born in China and educated in Australia, Cheng Lei became a host on China’s state-run TV network. Now she is a prisoner of that state.