China’s state-owned newspaper The Global Times blasts SA Senator Rex Patrick
A state-run Chinese newspaper claims Australia is always the side impairing ties between the countries. It singled out SA Senator Rex Patrick – who said he won’t be lectured on diplomacy by them.
SA News
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China’s state-owned newspaper has taken aim at South Australian senator Rex Patrick as an “obstacle” to improving relations between the two countries, saying he is “doing extraordinary damage to bilateral ties”.
Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece The Global Times has singled out the crossbench senator in three articles in three weeks for his outspoken criticism of Beijing.
In the latest two published on Monday, Senator Patrick is accused of smearing China in a bid to win votes and political support in Australia and is compared to a “science-fiction” writer.
“The side that is impairing China-Australia relationship has always been Australia,” one of the articles says.
“Australian politicians such as Patrick who smear China are doing extraordinary damage to bilateral ties.
“This sets forth a big obstacle for the improvement of China-Australia relations.”
The latest articles were prompted by Senator Patrick’s call for the federal government to launch an inquiry into the involvement of Chinese-owned companies in Australia’s electricity power grid.
The Centre Alliance senator’s call was sparked by US President Donald Trump’s ban on bulk power system equipment from foreign companies being used in the US power grid, over fears it would create a vulnerability in the system that could be exploited.
Senator Patrick responded to the articles, saying he “must have hit a raw nerve”.
“I won’t kowtow to or be lectured to on diplomacy by the Chinese Government when they have interfered in Australian politics, bullied Chinese Australians and carried out cyber attacks on Australian universities, medical institutes, industry, government and Parliament ICT systems,” he told The Advertiser.
The senator also dismissed the Global Times claim that he was biased because he had never been to China, saying he had been to Beijing, Shanghai and many times to Hong Kong.
“I like Chinese people. I just won’t tolerate unconscionable Chinese Government behaviour,” he said.
