Our farmers the losers in China’s tit-for-tat diplomacy

The reminder by China’s deputy ambassador to Australia, Wang Xining, that Beijing considers Australia a vassal tributary state is embarrassing for Daniel Andrews, whose investiture in the Chinese Communist Party’s Belt and Rope debt initiative did not protect Victoria’s barley farmers from Beijing’s unilateral embargo. Andrews’ insistence that the Commonwealth must explain its proposed veto of state agreements with hostile powers is laughable given Labor’s refusal to disclose the terms and conditions of its sponsorship with China.

Xi Jinping’s 2007 National Intelligence Law compels every business and individual with Chinese links or heritage to submit to the will of the CCP and it isn’t surprising that Australia’s universities enlisted voluntarily, given the extreme left perspective of our educationalists. Anarchists and vandals such as the Antifa anti-freedom association — celebrated on campus — are the useful idiots Vladimir Lenin mocked but eventually they will grow up.

Greg Jones, Kogarah, NSW

As big a challenge as it appears, Australia must look to new markets for beef exports (“China bans beef from fifth Queensland abattoir”, 28/8). Once cattle reach their prime there’s nowhere to go but to processing. Returning them to the paddock is a false economy. The Queensland company involved is a highly respected family-owned business with a reputation for buying top-quality export cattle right back to the 1960s. Many exporters have discovered to their detriment that dealing with dictatorships is fraught. John Dee, formally Warwick Bacon, must now be considering where to from here.

John Bain, South Bunbury, WA

In the area of foreign affairs, Scott Morrison is proving his advisers are ill informed and he is incapable of exercising judgment. China has banned beef from another abattoir. We also have barley on hold. Once again farmers are forgotten. Numerous retired foreign affairs diplomats have publicly pointed out the Morrison government’s foreign policy toward China is wrong. Beijing follows the “tit for tat” strategy. Celebrated foreign affairs researcher Robert Axelrod pointed this out in his 1984 book The Evolution of Cooperation. Calling out China publicly achieves nothing. Instead, diplomatic channels and acting in concert with other Asian partners would ensure the message is communicated. Clearly, the Prime Minister has no idea of the consequences of his thoughtless front-page comments for Australians in agriculture.

Gary R. Oliver, Woolloomooloo, NSW

Your editorial “National interest comes first in foreign relations” (28/8) comes as a timely reminder. The Belt and Road Initiative has already had a devastating effect on some of our Pacific Island neighbours and many African nations, unable to repay massive loans, are having ownership of BRI projects taken over by the Chinese.

Hugh Francis, Portland, Vic

Referring to the 2015 lease of the Port of Darwin to interests in China, Peter Jennings says “No one in government or opposition defends that decision now” (“Time we saw China’s entrapments for what they are”, 28/8). It’s more than 70 years since the communist revolution in China, with Mao’s vision of a world governed under the Chinese version of communism. Were we really that fast asleep only five years ago? The tragedy is that a large percentage of Australians were not asleep, but most of our politicians were. It’s getting late, but with federal Labor on board, Boris in charge in Britain and a possible Trump victory, there is still hope we can take back and keep our sense of national sovereignty as good neighbours with those who respect our independence.

David Morrison, Springwood, NSW

The federal parliament is about to pull rank on Daniel Andrews and his dealings with the Chinese, but who or what is going to hold to account our national powerbrokers, which have allowed Chinese operatives to take ownership of millions of hectares of our farm lands?

Jock Munro, Rankins Springs, NSW