Nations unite over China’s Great Barrier Reef ‘influence’

A dozen countries have expressed concern at the China-chaired UNESCO declaring the Great Barrier Reef “in danger”.

Officials representing a dozen countries, including the UK and Indonesia, have signed a missive expressing concern UNESCO plans to list the Great Barrier Reef as “in danger”, a move being seen as a united push back on China’s influence.

It followed concerns that UNESCO had skipped normal processes to making the controversial listing without warning, and suggestion its draft recommendation was influenced by China.

Scuba divers explore coral gardens teaming with fish life on Saxon Reef, part of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park off the coast of Cairns. Picture: Brendan Radke

Overnight a missive sent to UNESCO’s director-general Audrey Azoulay warned there were shared “collective concerns” over how the recommendation was arrived at.

“Any recommendation from the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies should be based on transparent, extensive and close consultation processes with the State Parties concerns,” the letter stated.

“Including on properties where the World Heritage Committee is being asked to consider significant decisions, such as immediate in-danger listings of properties and nominations dossiers.”

The letter was signed by delegates to UNESCO of countries including Australia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Poland, Hungary, the UK and Northern Ireland, France, Spain, Thailand, Turkey the Philippines and Canada.

Australian Strategic Policy Institute director Peter Jennings said given the countries which signed the letter, it was clearly an attempt to push back against China’s influence.

It includes G7 countries such as UK, France and Canada, as well as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) like The Philippines and Thailand, and Bangladesh which has been concerned about China’s influence in neighbouring Myanmar.

“They are all aware of the politics, they are all seeing daily the impact of China’s pressure,” Dr Jennings said.

Environmental Minister Sussan Ley said she would not comment on whether China had influenced the UNESCO process.

“What I’m saying … is that the process demonstrated clear politics at play,” she said.

“It’s time now … that we find ways to correct a decision that was clearly distorted by the process.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the UNESCO process around the Great Barrier Reef has been “appalling”. Picture: Thomas Samson/AFP

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the processes of UNESCO had been “appalling” but the list of countries backing Australia were “extraordinary”.

“Sure (the reef) has its challenges, like sensitive environments all around the world, but Australia does it better than anywhere else,” he said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian flatly rejected suggestions Beijing had forced the move.

“Some people in Australia have been spreading China-related rumours and disinformation out of ideological bias,” he said on Tuesday.