Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece cries McCarthy in wake of Dastyari

China’s Global Times newspaper has accused Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the US of McCarthyism.

China’s Global Times newspaper has accused Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the US of McCarthyism, describing accusations of spying as “disgraceful in an era of globalisation”.

Chinese people with close ties to Westerners “would be treated like informants to Western spy agencies and be accused of treason, like Australian lawmaker Sam Dastyari”, the newspaper warned yesterday, adding Westerners would “truly feel the pain”.

The Labor senator said on Tuesday he would not return to the upper house next year, following criticism of his links to Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo — but he has not been accused of any offence.

US senator Joseph McCarthy pursued those perceived as supporters of communism during the 1940s and 50s. Theeditorial cited Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the US as expressing concerns about China’s political activities abroad, before criticising “some countries” for considering taking action. The newspaper warned that “communities of expats in Beijing” could fall under matching suspicion. “They could be controlled by their governments,” the editorial said.

Bars and cafes in Beijing and Shanghai that are frequented by foreigners would be regarded as “information stations”. In such scenarios, “all contributors to China’s exchanges with the West would be too frightened to do anything, and calling for mutual respect and understanding would be a taboo on both sides”.

The newspaper said it was natural that frictions occurred, given the co-operation and exchanges between China and the West. “But widespread and ill-meant questioning of Chinese involved in these exchanges is logically absurd, and takes the moral low ground.”

China “is ridiculously blamed for interfering with Western ­society even before it is able to do so. If this is left unhandled, the West may continue its dirty tricks, always throwing mud at China.”

The punishments given to Western entertainers “who have tried to find fault with China” could be applied also to “provocative Western politicians, as a form of deterrence.”

Perhaps, the editorial said, Chinese preschool children who were taught English might even come to be considered as potential spies.