Scott Morrison hoping for new year resolution of China problems
Scott Morrison is hopeful for a reset of the China-Australia relationship ... once the Beijing leadership answer Canberra’s calls.
Scott Morrison is hopeful for a reset of the China-Australia relationship in 2021 but warns it will not happen until Chinese President Xi Jinping and his officials answer Canberra’s calls.
After a year of escalating trade tensions and various stoushes over the conduct of Australian soldiers overseas and the origins of coronavirus, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said this week – at an event compered by former prime minister Kevin Rudd – that he wants Sino-Australian relations back on track.
The Prime Minister welcomed the olive branch from Beijing on Friday but said he wanted to see ministerial-level meetings restart as a first priority.
“I’m always optimistic, I’m always hopeful, I’m always positive. I would certainly welcome that,” Mr Morrison said in Canberra.
“That would begin with ministerial-level discussions, which we’re ready and open for, and I’m happy to do those. That’s not an obstacle at the Australian end.”
Mr Morrison and senior ministers have had no phone calls returned or meetings accepted by Beijing since the PM called for an independent global investigation into the origins of coronavirus – which was first reported in Wuhan, China – in May.
Since then, China has slapped tariffs, bans and port delays on a wide range of Australian exports including barley, wheat, beef, coal and wine. Australia recently took China to the World Trade Organisation over the barley tariffs.
Tensions between the countries escalated to their highest point in November when Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian posted on Twitter a fake meme of an Australian soldier killing an Afghan child, in response to the Brereton war crimes inquiry.
Nine Newspapers reported this week that Mr Wang, China’s Foreign Minister since 2013, told Mr Rudd and 100 private guests at a US-based Asia Society event streamed online last month that China was willing to re-engage with Australia if it stops seeing Beijing as a “threat”.
“If Australia sees China as a threat, then the improvement of this relationship would be difficult,” Mr Wang reportedly said.
“If Australia sees China not as a threat, but a partner, then for the issues between us there are better chances that we find solutions. So I would kick the ball to Australia. We hope the relationship can come back to the right track as early as possible and we would welcome efforts by all who want the relations to improve to make some efforts.”
The investigation into the origins of coronavirus is being conducted within the World Health Organisation – which Foreign Minister Marise Payne was originally against – and its leads are former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark and ex-Liberian president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
Mr Morrison said on Friday he hoped Ms Clark and Ms Johnson-Sirleaf’s inquiry would soon reach its conclusion.
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