Chinese-Australians call for end to tension in wake of ADF tweet
The diplomatic stoush between Canberra and Beijing is “disappointing”, Chinese-Australians say.
NSW
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The diplomatic stoush between Canberra and Beijing is “disappointing”, Chinese-Australians say.
The Daily Telegraph visited Burwood, where 45 per cent of residents are of Chinese background.
Mother-of-two and Australian citizen Grace Zhang said she thought China should apologise for the photoshopped image of an Australian soldier and she hoped tension would clear up soon.
Ms Zhang, from Ermington, said she believed COVID-19 and the US were the main reason for the relationship bust up.
“I think it’s maybe because of Trump, and things began to get colder between China and Australia during COVID, everyone was blaming China,” Ms Zhang said.
“(The relationship) definitely isn’t as good as it was before … but if the photo is fake then China should do something about it, and things will get better.”
Chinese international student Victor Chen is studying a Bachelor of Design at the University of Technology Sydney and said the rising international tensions were “all politics”.
But Mr Chen, 22, from Chester Hill said if things continued to go south, he might have to look at studying elsewhere.
“I think Australians will start to hate Chinese students … I love Australia and I love studying here, but if the relationship continues to deteriorate badly, I might have to go and study in other countries.”
Australian citizen and shopkeeper Sean Wu, 28, runs his own restaurant Wu’s Authentic Chinese Street Food in the heart of Burwood.
Mr Wu said the souring relationship between China and Australia was “disappointing” and the economic impacts could be “significant”.
He said China probably wouldn’t outright apologise but hoped the nation would find another way to fix the “deteriorating” rift.
“If they posted a photoshopped image, China might have a more sinister agenda, it might try and prevent its citizens from migrating here. No international students would be a big blow,” Mr Wu said.
“But the countries’ relationship is mutually beneficial. I don’t think either Australia or China want to break the relationship completely … even if they don’t apologise they’ll find a way to mitigate the situation.”
Mr Wu said life felt “less harmonious” as a Chinese-Australian during the governments’ war of words, and his business had suffered for it.
“We’ve definitely lost a bit of revenue, our Australian customers don’t come in as much now,” he said.
“When I came here multiculturalism was celebrated and right now things are reflecting negatively.
“I hope the relationship will recover sooner rather than later, everyone will benefit from that.”
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