Coronavirus: tread carefully with Beijing, says John Howard

John Howard has warned that Australia must take a ‘pragmatic approach’ in its relations with China.

Co-chairs of the 6th Australia-China High Level Dialogue, former prime minister John Howard and President of the Chinese People’s Institute of Foreign Affairs Li Zhaoxing in Sydney.

John Howard has warned that Australia must take a “pragmatic approach” in its relations with China, as a growing number of Liberal MPs push for the nation to ­become less economically reliant on the communist nation.

The former prime minister strongly backed Scott Morrison’s move to close the border to China early and to pursue an independent global investigation into the origins of coronavirus.

He said there was “understandable anger” about China’s lack of transparency over the virus, but Australia needed to be pragmatic in its attitude to China.

“I wouldn’t want to suddenly turn our relationship with China on its head because that’s not going to serve our interests,” he told The Australian.

“We have to be very careful. There is understandable anger about the origin of the virus and the cover-up and I accept all of that, but we still have a very important trade relationship with China and very important people-to-people relationship with China.

“By all means we should pursue them on the Wuhan issue but we have to recognise that there are mutual benefits in the current ­relationship which we shouldn’t easily put aside. It works and we have had a good, pragmatic relationship with China.”

Mr Howard said the Prime Minister was right in banning flights from China early and that he hoped other world leaders would back Mr Morrison’s proposed international investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

Soon after he became prime minister in 1996, Mr Howard was embroiled in a bitter dispute with China over relations with the US, freedom of passage in the Taiwan Strait and export polices. China publicly criticised Australia and Mr Howard as being a “cat’s paw” for the US.

Mr Howard spent almost two years repairing relations and trade with Beijing and later listed the building of dual relations between China and the US as one of his top three achievements.

Despite Trade Minister Simon Birmingham’s call in The Australian last week for concerns about the virus and Australia’s economic relationship with China to be separated, more Coalition MPs want a move towards economic self-reliance.

NSW Liberal senator Jim Molan said Australia had to consider economic sovereignty as ­important as financial prosperity in a post-pandemic world.

“I suggest a longer view,” he told The Australian. “This is a wake-up call for Australia regardless of where specific fault lies. I strongly support the government’s focus on sovereignty, self-reliance, security and resilience.

“Of course, we must stay engaged with the world economy, that is a given. The market has ­delivered us prosperity but can it deliver sovereignty? The challenge will be to decide what the minimum level of self-reliance is, which defines sovereignty.”

Queensland senator Amanda Stoker said an economic shift from dependence on China had the ­potential to make Australia a more attractive country for global ­investment. “Despite being the source of the COVID-19 problem, China’s economy will — in terms relative to Australia’s — benefit,” she said.

“There is much we can do now to help ensure Australia is not ­dependent on any one trading partner. We can ensure we are globally attractive as a destination for investment. We can spread our risk by trading with many nations that share our values.”

Liberal MP Andrew Hastie launched an online petition last week asking for his constituents to support his push to economically break from the Chinese communist regime.

“The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the true cost of relying too heavily on an authoritarian ­regime like China for our economic security and prosperity,” he wrote.