If Andrew Forrest is one of us then he’s nothing but gum on the sole of China’s shoe

My name is Twiggy and I’m here to help. Perth Now, Thursday:

Billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest is facing criticism for inviting (China’s consul-general for Victoria, Long Zhou) to a press conference with Greg Hunt without the minister’s knowledge. The relationship between the two countries is strained, with China openly criticising Australia, which is calling for an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus.

My name is Cheng and take this as a threat. Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye’s comments on the Chinese embassy website, Monday:

The tourists may have second thoughts. Maybe the parents of the students would also think whether this place, which they find is not so friendly, even hostile, is the best place to send their kids to … maybe the ordinary people will think why they should drink Australian wine or eat Australian beef.

He’s just obeying orders. Daily Mail, Wednesday:

China’s ambassador is just following orders to play hardball with his outrageous threats to cripple Australia’s economy, experts reveal … China expert Clive Hamilton … revealed Chinese President Xi Jinping had last year changed his diplomatic strategy to be more confrontational. This ramped up significantly as China was determined to deflect blame for the coronavirus pandemic believed to have started in a Wuhan wet market.

It’s such a shame. We were getting on well. Long Zhou’s website, September 8 last year:

In recent years, friendly ties between (Australian states) and China have developed rapidly, with economic, educational and cultural co-operation achieving fruitful results, and people-to-people links getting closer.

So what did he say at Wednesday’s hijacked press conference?

“The Chinese government has released information related to the COVID-19 in open, transparent and responsible manner,” he said.

… before he all but broke into the Industry SuperFunds TV advert:

“We’re all in this together.”

Twiggy says it is all Donald Trump’s fault. The Australian, Thursday:

… Mr Forrest said Australia should take a more conciliatory approach to China and suggested the government’s proposed inquiry would help Mr Trump’s campaign for re-election … (he) told the ABC: “There’s a bloke in the White House who really wants to stay there and he’s pushing blame as fast as he possibly can from anywhere else but himself.”

But there’s a bloke in the Forbidden City who wants to stay there. For life. And he’s happy to oversee real mischief to ensure it. Maurice Newman, The Australian, Thursday:

It is clear China has turned this pandemic into a propaganda war. The Chinese People’s Daily proclaims “the source of the novel coronavirus has yet to be confirmed”. Two leading university websites seem to have published then deleted academic research about the origins of COVID-19.

Australians are just sticky troublemakers. The Guardian, Tuesday:

Hu Xijin, the editor of the state-run Global Times, wrote on Weibo that ties between Australia and its largest trading partner, China, were likely to deteriorate as much as relations between Beijing and Washington … “Australia is always there, making trouble. It is a bit like chewing gum stuck on the sole of China’s shoes. Sometimes you have to find a stone to rub it off,” Hu said.