Chinese envoy demands Australia stands with Beijing over US ‘bully’

China’s ambassador to Australia is demanding Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton stand with Beijing against the ‘bullying’ of the White House’s tariff war.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro in 2024. Picture: Getty Images

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China’s ambassador to Australia claims US President Donald Trump is turning the world of international trade into a “lawless jungle”, and is demanding Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton stand with Beijing against the “bullying” of the White House’s tariff war.

As Mr Trump moved to strike a deal with China and ease fears of a damaging global economic crisis, Beijing’s envoy Xiao Qian told Australia’s leaders the US-Australia alliance does not give the Trump administration a “free pass” on trade.

The ambassador’s latest intervention a week out from the election comes as Australians turn against the US, and as they also warn the government is ­allowing too much Chinese investment in this country.

New polling data revealed in an SEC Newgate State of Trade research report shows the US has fallen behind China and is now ahead only of Russia in terms of Australians’ negative views on the nation’s relationships with other countries.

Mr Xiao writes in The Australian that Beijing is ready to stand up to Washington, and suggests Australia as an independent nation should join the Chinese.

“Faced with unilateral bullying, China will resolutely stand its ground, not only to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests but also to prevent the world from descending into a lawless “jungle” where might makes right,” Mr Xiao writes.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“Both China and Australia are important countries in the Asia-Pacific region and beneficiaries as well as upholders of the multilateral system and free trade.

“Amidst the changing international landscape, China stands ready to work with all parties to resolutely oppose all forms of ­hegemony and bullying, firmly uphold the UN-centred international system and the international order based on inter­national law, and contribute to the prosperity and stability of the region and the world at large.”

During the May 3 election campaign, the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader have pledged to diversify Australia’s trade relationships, forge closer ties to Indo-Pacific allies and stand up to Mr Trump.

The Australian understands both men will make it a priority to visit Washington DC and sit down with Mr Trump if they win the election.

Mr Trump on Thursday said he expected to strike a deal with Beijing over the next few weeks, which would lead to lower tariffs between the US and China.

The ambassador’s comments come just weeks after it was revealed Chinese research vessel Tan Suo Yi Hao was operating off South Australia, with experts at the times saying it was almost certainly gathering ­undersea data to assist in future Chinese submarine operations.

The vessel’s appearance off Australia’s coast threw a spotlight on national security as an election issue, and came just weeks after the government learned from a Virgin Australia pilot about a live-fire exercise by Chinese naval vessels in the Tasman Sea.

Amid the latest twist in the global tariff war, the SEC Newgate poll of 1214 voters across every state and territory, conducted between April 10 and 14, showed 44 per cent of Australians believe China is the more reliable trading partner ahead of the US at 26 per cent.

Only 38 per cent of voters ­expressed positive sentiment towards the US-Australia relationship compared with 26 per cent who viewed relations as negative. On China, 37 per cent of voters described the relationship as good versus 20 per cent who rated the partnership negative.

The moderate improvement in views on China contrasts with public anger after Beijing imposed indiscriminate trade bans on Australian products to punish the Morrison government ahead of the 2022 election.

There was a less positive view in regards to foreign investment, with 55 per cent of voters saying the Albanese government is allowing too much Chinese investment in Australia. Four-in-10 said there was too much foreign investment across the board.

In response to the impact of US tariffs, the greatest concerns among voters was rising product costs (29 per cent), negative impacts on the national economy (18 per cent) and poorer outcomes for Australian companies (9 per cent).

SEC Newgate senior geopolitical adviser Sam Guthrie, a former senior diplomat, deputy consul-general and senior trade and investment commissioner in Australia’s Hong Kong consulate, said “these are extraordinary findings which reflect a notable erosion of trust in Washington amid recent geopolitical turmoil, particularly around tariffs”.

“In light of Trump’s tariffs, we are seeing Australians take a more negative view of the US trading relationship and favouring China, which is remarkable considering it was only at the end of last year the coercive measures Beijing placed on Australia were finally removed,” he said.

“Despite the concerns with the US relationship, Australians remain cautious about deeper Chinese influence, with a majority of them believing the government is allowing too much Chinese investment in Australia – but even this is improving.”