Albanese must stand up to China and end our abusive, dysfunctional relationship with Beijing

News of a bizarre, bullying email sent to MPs who dared to attend a gala dinner celebrating the inauguration of Taiwan’s new president highlights Australia’s dysfunctional relationship with China, writes James Morrow.

Anthony Albanese came to power in no small part on a promise to improve — or at least “stabilise” relations with Beijing.

Two years into his first time in office, that can now be regarded as a broken promise.

News of a bizarre, bullying email sent to state and federal MPs who dared to attend a gala dinner celebrating the inauguration of Taiwan’s new, democratically elected president Lai Ching-te by a nameless Chinese official underlines the problem.

Far from being either stable or even constructive, what is going on now between Canberra and Beijing looks more and more like an abusive relationship, full of threats and coercion.

And as much as it goes against his nature, Anthony Albanese must stand up for the Australian national interest and protest in no uncertain terms this blatant interference in our domestic politics.

Ten politicians attended an event on 20 May, to celebrate the inauguration of Taiwan's new President. Four days later, they all received a letter from the Chinese Consulate in Sydney criticising their attendance. Picture: Supplied

Because, seriously, how dare Beijing’s dictatorship tell our elected representatives off for daring to go to a dinner for Taiwan.

The fact that the MPs were identified after a photo of them at the dinner was published online just adds an extra creepy layer to the whole thing.

Ten politicians attended an event in May to celebrate the inauguration of Taiwan's new president. Four days later, they all received a letter from the Chinese Consulate in Sydney criticising their attendance. Picture: Supplied

“The Consulate-General hopes that you will adhere to the fact that “Taiwan is a province of China” and properly handle Taiwan-related issues with prudence,” the email read in part.

The letter continued with all the subtlety of a mafia enforcer, saying MP should” truly honor (sic) the one-China principle and avoid unnecessary interference or damage to the hard-earned momentum towards improving China-Australia relations and the overall situation of the co-operation between China and NSW.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and China's President Xi Jinping in November 2022. Picture: Twitter

Nice little state you got here, be a shame if anything were to … happen to it.

And, indeed, why wouldn’t China think they could bully our MPs?

Despite the prime minister’s pledge to “co-operate where we can, disagree where we must, and engage in the national interest,” time and again the Albanese government has seemed to prefer the appearance of stability to action.

While the prime minister enjoyed the false flattery of Chinese officials – Chinese premier Li Qiang called him a “handsome boy” – on his trip to Beijing last year, he has been reluctant to take serious action in the wake of a series of insults.

These include dangerous encounters at sea including high powered sonar pings directed at Royal Australian Navy divers and flares dropped in front of an Australian Seahawk chopper.

The Albanese government — both the prime minister and his foreign minister, Penny Wong — must stand up to this behaviour, and express in no uncertain terms that Australia will not be bullied and our MPs are not to be lectured to by authoritarian thugs.