Australians should not forget China’s Covid response: Taiwan

Taiwan’s top diplomat in Australia says the Trump administration’s declaration that Covid probably emanated from a Wuhan lab should ‘serve as a reminder for your future engagement with China’.

Taiwan’s top diplomat in Australia, Douglas Hsu. Picture: Tertius Pickard

You can now listen to The Australian's articles. Give us your feedback.

You can now listen to The Australian's articles.

Taiwan’s top diplomat in Australia, Douglas Hsu, says the Trump administration’s declaration that Covid probably emanated from a lab in Wuhan should “serve as a reminder for your future engagement with China”.

Mr Hsu spoke to The Australian during an event at Parliament House to pay tribute to outgoing Labor MP Graham Perrett, co-chair of the Australia-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group.

There were more than 20 MPs who attended the event including Trade Minister Don Farrell, House of Representatives deputy speaker Sharon Claydon, deputy Senate president Andrew McLachlan and Liberal frontbencher Dean Smith.

Labor MPs at the event included Shayne Neumann, Daniel Mulino, David Smith, Cassandra Fernando, Carol Brown and Catryna Bilyk.

Coalition MPs present included David Fawcett, Andrew Wallace and Scott Buchholz, the other co-chair of the group.

Mr Hsu said he respected the Albanese government’s efforts at reviving the trading relationship with Beijing. He said he was “not worried that Australia is too close to China”.

But he noted China’s harsh treatment of the Morrison government for calling for an inquiry into the origins of Covid, given the US CIA declared it had most likely originated from a laboratory in Wuhan.

“This is the Australian government’s decision to do business with any country,” Mr Hsu said. “But it was interesting that right after President (Donald) Trump took office, that the CIA director revealed that report about (the origins of) Covid-19.

“Most of the Australian people, I believe you remember vividly, when back in 2019 you asked for an investigation and what you got in return.

“Perhaps that will serve as a reminder for your future engagement with China.”

Speaking to the group of MPs at the event, Mr Hsu said Taiwan should qualify as a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership — a move that is strongly opposed by China.

“I call for your support of Taiwan’s inclusion to unlock many and various business opportunities … which will meaningfully enhance regional economic integration,” he said.

Mr Perrett said he was honoured to be a “friend” of Taiwan, saying there were opportunities to increase trade ties between the nations.

“We don’t have enough Taiwanese students studying in Australia, and we don’t have enough Australians studying in Taiwan,” he said.

“I’ve already spoken to some people who are keen to pursue those opportunities in terms of promoting cross-parliamentary support for Taiwan.”