‘Inappropriate’: Mark Latham latest victim of Chinese bully diplomacy

Independent MP has fired back at Beijing, saying: “China is a powerful country with clowns running its foreign service.”

Mark Latham has revealed that he copped a scathing email from the Chinese consulate in Sydney accusing him of being “highly irresponsible” for praising Taiwan’s robust democracy, making him the latest MP targeted by Beijing’s bully boy diplomacy.

The extraordinary email seen by this masthead also accused him of “making inappropriate remarks” and told Mr Latham and that his behaviour had been “duly noted”.

Mr Latham revealed that he received the email from a general correspondence address at consulate on May 17, a little over a week after he gave a speech on Taiwan in the NSW upper house.

“I want to pay tribute to the robustness of the Taiwanese people and their political system, in particular the successful democratic elections” that resulted in the inauguration of a new president, Mr Latham told NSW parliament on May 8.

“These proved conclusively that there is no inconsistency between democracy and democratic values and Chinese culture.”

Part of the email sent to Mark Latham.

“The Taiwanese people should be congratulated, the election was peaceful, successful and resulted in a new president and the peaceful transition of power,” he said.

In the subsequent email, the Chinese consulate told him that they “observed your recent speech … with concern, where you blatantly embolden and support the ‘Taiwan independence.’”

“This discourse is deemed highly irresponsible, fails (sic) to align with factual realities, and violates the one-China principle.”

Mark Latham fired back at Chinese diplomats, saying the country has “clowns running its foreign service”

“Your demeanour of making inappropriate remarks and engaging in actions concerning the Taiwan question over the past years is duly noted.”

News of the email comes a day after reports that other NSW parliamentarians received complaints from Chinese diplomats over their attendance at a gala banquet to celebrate the inauguration of the new Taiwanese president.

In response to the email, Mr Latham said, “China is a powerful country with clowns running its foreign service … I’m guilty of ‘misdemeanour crimes’.”

“They don’t seem to understand that when we celebrate the success of Taiwanese democracy, we are also celebrating all democracies, including our own.”

Mr Latham said he would be moving a motion in parliament to condemn the bullying emails and “reconfirm our support for the longstanding rights of elected representatives to exercise their freedom of speech and association.”

Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email [e-mail]