Top Chinese diplomat says Beijing’s relationship with Australia like a feuding married couple
China’s No.2 diplomat has delivered a landmark speech to the National Press Club in which he said it was not fair that Wuhan was “singled out” as the origin of COVID-19.
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One of China’s top diplomats in Australia said it was not fair for Wuhan to be “singled out” as the origin of COVID-19, saying it could have come from elsewhere and that the accusation had “hurt the feelings of the Chinese people”.
In a landmark speech, the Chinese embassy’s deputy head of mission in Australia Wang Xining also compared Beijing’s relationship with Australia to that of a feuding husband and wife, warning “ill-founded and imported” claims of security threats could push away foreign businesses.
Earlier this year China’s ambassador warned Australia could face trade sanctions after it called for a UN inquiry into the origin of the virus in Wuhan, where it was first reported and the contagion first spread.
Mr Xining said pressure on China in April over the origin of the virus, from the US and elsewhere, was “targeted against China alone”.
“During that time Australian ministers claimed that the virus originated from Wuhan province, they did not point to add other places as a source,” he said.
“We were singled out, we don’t think it is fair.
“There was blame on China for their failure to control the spread of the disease, and the sharp rise in cases, and try to shirk responsibility. The proposal came at a time when the US was trying to do that, so the proposal would help Washington to put more pressure on China.”
He said everybody wanted to know the reason for COVID-19, including the Chinese people, but not to put blame on the place or people where it was first identified, instead an investigation should focus on preparation for a future medical outbreak.
“All of a sudden, there was this shocking proposal from Australia, supposed to be a good friend of China, always has been,” he said.
“I think it is up to the scientists to find out the origin, and also how it has been dealt with by different governments.”
Mr Xining declared China would be a “great, modern socialist country” by 2035, saying it could not live in the “Australian way or in the American way”.
He said China respected Australia’s sovereignty and wished it “peace and stability”.
But he directly acknowledged the rocky relationship between Australia and its largest trading partner.
“it is no easy task to keep a partnership in good shape. It takes concerted determination and joint effort to make it thrive. A married couple knows this,” he said.
“While a rift between husband and wife hurts one family, a rift between two countries hurts millions.
“We should not let cold hard and dark mind cast a shadow over our partnership.”
Mr Wang said there needed to be respect, goodwill, fairness and vision between the two countries.
China has come under increased international scrutiny over its national security laws imposed on Hong Kong, as well as the treatment of its Uigher minority population, which has included “re-education camps” and forced birth control.
Mr Wang referenced the international pressure, saying Beijing respected Australia’s sovereignty and expected the same in return.
“As China’s sovereignty was constantly under threat and disarray from external powers, the last thing China wants to do is to inflict on others what China suffered. Or to bully others as we were bullied,” he said.
He said China would seek “socialist modernisation” and would “blaze a new trail” and not follow in the footsteps existing developed nations.
“China cannot afford to live in the Australian way or in the American way because of different natural endowment, demographic profile, economic status,” Mr Wang said.
“We do not believe that unbound materialism is sustainable or that untested consumerism is ethical.”