‘Australian McDrive-Thru’: War of words after Scott Morrison calls China our ‘customer’

A war of words has erupted after Bill Shorten accused Scott Morrison of treating Beijing as an “Australian McDrive-Thru” after the PM called China Australia’s “customer”.

A political row has erupted over Australia’s turbulent relationship with China after Bill Shorten accused Scott Morrison of treating our foreign neighbour as an “Australian McDrive-Thru”.

The Prime Minister today labelled China Australia’s “customer” in contrast to our nation’s “friend”, the US.

Realising his poor choice of words, Mr Morrison quickly clarified that “China is an incredibly important country for Australia’s future”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is under fire for his comments about China.

But the Labor leader seized on the comments, declaring Mr Morrison lacked the “sophistication” to be PM.

Mr Morrison was responding to a question about his vision for foreign affairs if re-elected and was acknowledging the “great world tensions” between the US and China.

“My view has always been, you don’t have to pick sides in that,” he said.

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“You don’t have to walk away from the relationships that you have, that you stand by your friends and you stand by your customers as well.

“Our relationship with China is of course different to our relationship with the US but they are both critical to Australia’s future.

“We manage that relationship in a very pragmatic way, but one based on the values that we share and the aspirations that we have for Australia to pursue its own national interests.”

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the comments showed Scott Morrison lacks the “sophistication” to be PM. Picture: Kym Smith

Mr Shorten said Australia’s trade with China was important but there was more to the relationship than transactions.

“You know, I think we need a bit more sophistication from the people who want to be Prime Minister than simply telling one of the largest countries on Earth ‘we just see you as customers’,” he said.

“There’s no doubt that trade is important. But I actually think we need to grow up in the 21st century and stop having a simplistic view of the rise of Asia.

“I see a much more sophisticated relationship than viewing China as some sort of customer going through the Australian McDrive-Thru and just saying, you know, what can we get from you?”

It follows a tense debate over China between Trade Minister Simon Birmingham and Opposition foreign spokeswoman Penny Wong last week, after which the Labor Senator refused to shake her rival’s hand.