US State Department: We stand with Australia over China disinformation

US State Department officially supports Australia in calling out Beijing for a ‘new low’ for the CCP’s ‘disinformation’.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. Picture; AFP.

The US State Department has declared that the US stands with Australia in calling out China for what it called a “new low” for the Chinese Communist Party.

“We stand with our Australian partners in calling out (China’s Foreign Ministry) for spreading disinformation by fabricating an image of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan,” State Department spokesman Cale Brown tweeted.

We stand with our Australian partners in calling out @MFA_China for spreading disinformation by fabricating an image of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan. This is a new low, even for the Chinese Communist Party.

— Cale Brown (@StateDeputySPOX) December 2, 2020

He said the CCP’s latest attack on Australia was “‘another example of its unchecked use of disinformation and coercive diplomacy.”

“Its hypocrisy is obvious to all. While it doctors images on Twitter to attack other nations, the CCP prevents its own citizens from reading their posts,” he said..

“As the CCP spreads disinformation, it covers up its horrendous human rights abuses, including the detention of more than a million Muslims in Xinjiang. The CCP seeks to change the subject to avoid accountability. We can’t let them,” the spokesman said.

The CCP’s latest attack on Australia is another example of its unchecked use of disinformation and coercive diplomacy. Its hypocrisy is obvious to all. While it doctors images on @Twitter to attack other nations, the CCP prevents its own citizens from reading their posts.

— Cale Brown (@StateDeputySPOX) December 2, 2020

As the CCP spreads disinformation, it covers up its horrendous human rights abuses, including the detention of more than a million Muslims in Xinjiang. The CCP seeks to change the subject to avoid accountability. We can’t let them.

— Cale Brown (@StateDeputySPOX) December 2, 2020

The comments follow a statement by US Ambassador Arthur Culvahouse earlier on Wednesday, blasting China for spreading “disinformation through fabricated images and disingenuous statements” about Australian soldiers.

Mr Culvahouse, in a statement on Wednesday, said Australia had been transparent in investigating and disclosing war crimes allegations against special forces soldiers.

“The PRC would do well to follow Australia’s example and disclose to the world all it knows about the origins of the COVID-19 virus,” he said.

“And the world can only wish that the Chinese Communist Party were to bring the same degree of transparency and accountability to credible reports of atrocities against the Uighurs in Xinjiang.”

Mr Culverhouse’s comments were the first official statement from the US government on China’s use of the doctored image.

US Senator lashes ‘despicable’ China

Earlier, a former chair of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has labelled China as “despicable” and says it should apologise to Australia for tweeting a doctored image of an Australian soldier holding a bloody knife to the throat of an Afghan child.

Sen. Bob Menendez has taken aim at China’s attack on Australia. Picture; Getty Images.

“This is despicable and beneath the dignity of a nation with 5,000 years of culture and history,” Senator Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, tweeted.

“The Australian people deserve an apology – and the Chinese Foreign Ministry needs to demonstrate it understands how to conduct diplomacy as a constructive member of the international community.”

This is despicable & beneath the dignity of a nation with 5,000 years of culture & history.

The Australian people deserve an apology—and the Chinese Foreign Ministry needs to demonstrate it understands how to conduct diplomacy as a constructive member of the intl community. https://t.co/lDaJ9u4S2b

— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) December 1, 2020

The State Department has been angered by the image and is debating how it will respond to China’s provocation which has sparked widespread outrage in Australia.

There is deep concern in Washington about the sharp deterioration in Australia-China relations.

The State Department was considering issuing a public statement in support of Australia but has not yet done so.

Senator Menendez’s comments came a day after the Trump administration chided China for its heavy-handed imposition of tariffs on Australian wine, saying it will feature Aussie labels at a White House function this week.

Australian wine will be featured at a White House holiday reception this week. Pity vino lovers in China who, due to Beijing’s coercive tariffs on Aussie vintners, will miss out. #AussieAussieAussieOiOiOi!

— NSC (@WHNSC) December 1, 2020

“Australian wine will be featured at a White House holiday reception this week,’ the White House National Security Council tweeted. “Pity vino lovers in China who, due to Beijing’s coercive tariffs on Aussie voters, will miss out. #AussieAussieAussieOiOiOi!”

The NSC’s message of support follows Beijing’s decision to impose tariffs of up to 212 per canton Australian wine imports to China.