China needs to get on with us, says Alexander Downer

Australia should be ‘more self-confident’ in dealing with China, according to former foreign minister Alexander Downer.

Alexander Downer addresses the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday. Picture: AAP

Australia should be “more self-confident” in dealing with China, according to former foreign minister Alexander Downer, who said the superpower must recognise it needs to “get on with us”.

Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra, Mr Downer declared “we don’t want to beg to China” as the weeks roll on without Scott Morrison being invited to visit Australia’s largest trading partner.

His predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, was the last prime minister to go to China. There have been increased tensions over the country’s mass detention of ­Uighurs in Xinjiang, cyber attacks, its influence in Australian universities and the Pacific, and a government crackdown on foreign interference in Australia.

“If they want to invite our Prime Minister, fine,” Mr Downer said.

“I’m sure he’d be happy to go. If they don’t, that’s fine as well. Life will go on. China, though, needs Australia and … a good relationship with Australia. We’re not going to kowtow — to use that Chinese expression — to anybody by the way, to anybody, and not to China.”

Labor has been critical of the China rhetoric used by some government MPs such as Andrew Hastie, who urged Australia to wake up to China’s communist ideology.

Mr Downer said China should remember its relationship with Australia had mutual benefits.

“China has depended very heavily on a secure supply of natural resources from Australia, particularly iron ore and, dare I mention it, coal,” Mr Downer said.

“It depends very heavily on the supply of agricultural products as well.”

“Australia has been a very, very important part of China’s growth story.”

During his nearly 12 years as foreign minister in the Howard government, Mr Downer said he made it clear that Australia would always be cheering for democracy and, because China was not a democracy, this would be a point of tension.

He said the relationship should be based on mutual empathy, with an understanding of each other’s alliances and friends.

“Consistency in dealing with China so they know where you’re coming from (is key),” Mr Downer said.

“They know what we stand for, they know who our friends are, they know what our policies are and when they do things we really profoundly disapprove of they need to understand why we would disapprove of them.

“Under the Howard government you couldn’t bully Australia. Bullying is wrong and bullying Australia is especially wrong.”