A Chinese Communist Party firebrand has heaped praise on Mark McGowan for sucking up to Beijing and criticising the federal government’s tough stance on China.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian lauded the Western Australian Premier for criticising Scott Morrison after last weekend’s G7 summit.
Democratic world leaders had stood in unison with the Prime Minister in condemning the authoritarian state’s ongoing campaign of economic coercion against Australia.
China over the past year have slapped more than $20billion worth of key Australian exports with arbitrary bans and tariffs – including barley, wine, copper, coal, seafood, beef and timbre.
The Labor leader has pleaded for a ‘reset’ in China relations with the resource-rich state heavily reliant on Sino trade dollars.
Mr Zhao was asked by a state media reporter for Beijing Daily about Mr McGowan’s comments that Canberra is being ‘reckless’ with its largest trading partner.
A Communist Party firebrand has heaped praise on Mark McGowan (pictured on a trip to Hangzhou, China) for sucking up to Beijing and criticising the federal government’s tough stance on China
McGowan has pleaded for a ‘reset’ in Chinese relations with the resource-rich state heavily reliant on Sino trade dollars. Pictured: Port Hedland iron ore mine in WA
‘The Australian government should heed these constructive opinions,’ Mr Zhao, who is one of China’s most prolific propaganda artists and recently trolled Australia by posting a doctored image of an Australian soldier holding a knife to an Afghan boy’s throat, said.
‘For quite some time, people from different social sectors in Australia have expressed concern about the way the Australian government approaches relations with China.’
The ‘Wolf Warrior’ diplomat also accused Australia of having a ‘cold war mentality’.
‘Face up to and reflect on the crux of the setback in bilateral relations, abandon the Cold War mentality and ideological bias, earnestly uphold the principle of mutual respect and equal treatment, and act in ways conducive to enhancing mutual trust and promoting practical co-operation.’
Over the weekend, Western democratic leaders from the US, UK, Italy, Canada, Japan, Germany, France and guest nations India, Australia and South Korea, took China to task over a range of issues.
The G7 issued a joint statement taking China to task over human rights in the heavily Muslim region of Xinjiang, calling for Hong Kong to keep a high degree of autonomy and also underscored the importance of peace with Taiwan – all highly sensitive issues for Beijing.
The communique also called for the opaque power to be more transparent when it comes to sharing data about the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Lijian Zhao (pictured) is one of China’s most prolific propaganda stars
The Chinese government has attacked Australia over war crimes allegations by posting this falsified image on Twitter last year
Mr Morrison welcomed ‘the very strong support for the stand that Australia has taken very consistently in standing up for liberal democratic principles in our region’.
Canberra’s relationship with China started to dramatically unravel after Mr Morrison’s government in April last called for an independent inquiry into the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic – which first appeared in Wuhan.
The plea for transparency infuriated President Xi Jinping and the communist state who targeted Australian goods headed to China.
While the trade sanctions have heavily impacted many sectors, Australia’s lucrative iron ore trade to China has continued to surge – with the developing nation in desperate need of reliable steel for construction.
Treasury estimates predict total iron exports will eclipse $136billion this financial year, up from $103billion last year.
The overwhelming majority of the commodity is mined in WA, with China by far the largest customer.
Mr McGowan (pictured left) said the federal government’s talk of conflict towards China and trade retaliation ‘can and must stop’
McGowan (pictured touring an iron ore mine in WA) has called Australia’s tough stance on china ‘reckless’
Mr McGowan told the Appea oil and gas conference in Perth on Tuesday, that the federal government’s talk of conflict towards China and trade retaliation ‘can and must stop’.
‘We should always protect our interests, our institutions, our independence, our democracy and our freedoms. That goes without saying,’ McGowan said.
‘But how is it in our interests to be reckless with trading relationships that fund and drive our prosperity and our nation forward?’
His comments come after a survey by the Australia-China Relations Institute at the Sydney’s University of Technology found that Australians don’t trust China and are worried the country is too reliant on the totalitarian power.
The study found 76 per cent of Australians don’t trust the Chinese Government, but 61 per cent believe their country should forge closer ties with China.
Results also found 72 per cent believe foreign interference in Australia stemming from China is a major problem.
A BHP Billiton Ltd. freight train carrying iron ore travels along a rail track towards Port Hedland, Australia
Treasury estimates predict total iron exports will eclipse $136billion this financial year, up from $103billion last year
