Chinese ambassador Cheng Jingye compares Eric Abetz to Joseph Goebbels

China’s ambassador has accused Liberal senator Eric Abetz of copying the tricks of Nazi propagandist Josef Goebbels.

Chinese ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye. Picture: AAP

China’s ambassador to Australia has launched an extraordinary attack on Eric Abetz, accusing the Liberal senator of copying the tricks of Nazi Joseph Goebbels in his criticism of Beijing.

In a submission to the senate inquiry into Scott Morrison’s Foreign Relations Bill — which aims to give Canberra a veto over state government and university deals with overseas powers — ambassdor Cheng Jingye also accused other Beijing critics of having “minds of malice”.

Senator Abetz is leading the inquiry into the foreign relations legislation and has faced widespread criticism after he called on a number of Chinese-Australian witnesses to denounce the Chinese Communist Party.

Addressing the senator directly in his submission, Mr Cheng accused him of making the Australia-China relationship more difficult and hurting the interests of both nations.

“I have to point out that your recent assertions on China at the Senate are far off the mark, which have the smack of Goebbels’ tricks,” he told Senator Abetz via his submission, referring to Nazi Germany’s propaganda minister.

“It is appalling and outrageous, deserving condemnation.”

“It’s my hope that you would look at China and our bilateral relationship in an objective and rational manner without tinted lens or bias.

“I also hope you could do more to help improve the relationship on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit, rather than making it more difficult to the detriment of the interests of both countries.”

Senator Eric Abetz. Picture: Luke Bowden

Senator Abetz told The Australian the ambassador’s submission vindicated his arguments that Chinese Australians faced persecution and intimidation from the CCP.

“The unattractive belligerent and indeed aggressive tone of His Excellency’s response confirms why so many in the Chinese diaspora live in fear of the Chinese Communist dictatorship even here in Australia,” he said on Thursday.

“If this is the official response to the Chair of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee, one can just imagine the ‘subtlety’ employed on the Chinese diaspora.”

A number of Chinese Communist Party critics have appeared before the senate inquiry on the Foreign Relations Bill, which has thrown a spotlight on the Asian superpower’s influence in Australian universities.

Academic Clive Hamilton told the committee the CCP’s efforts to win over universities had been aided by “arrogance” among intellectuals that they were “clever enough to see through” foreign influence threats.

The Senate previously heard former University of Queensland vice-chancellor Peter Hoj, who was involved in a protracted battle with anti-CCP campaigner Drew Pavlou, received a $200,000 bonus in part because he increased the university’s engagement with China.

Mr Pavlou told the committee this was a “direct personal financial incentive” for Professor Hoj and the university — which derived a fifth of its revenue from Chinese students — to “take a more pro-Beijing line”.

The ambassador accused those critics of slurring China at every opportunity in his submission to the inquiry.

“A Mind of malice does not present sense or truth. Those who made malicious allegations against China in their submissions during the recent public hearings were notorious for their longstanding stance,” he writes.

“Everything about China is twisted in their eyes and minds. Even before their mouths are opening, people can easily tell what kind of invectives against China would drip out.

“Their mission is nothing less than to slur China on every possible occasion by following the playbook of their masters.”

The committee heard more than 260 local councils had about 600 sister city agreements, including 99 with Chinese municipalities, which would need to be reviewed under the proposed new law.

University groups have called for the Foreign Relations Bill to be either significantly amended or scrapped altogether, as it could harm a range of agreements with other universities across the world.

Mr Cheng said in his submission that China was committed to working with Australian officials, despite months of anti-Australian rhetoric from Chinese propaganda outlets and a range of trade sanctions against Australian products like beef, cotton and barley.

“Last but not least, the consular officials of China in this country have all along performed their duties in full conformity with international conventions and norms, just as the Australian ones have done in China, which benefits our nations and peoples.

“Our two governments are committed to facilitating the work of each other’s consular services with good office and in line with international practices, which serve the interests of both sides.”