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Scott Morrison and China


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Carrick Ryan posted this blog piece today in relation to the meme posted by China's diplomatic spokesperson of an Australian soldier slitting the throat of a child.


I think Ryan is absolutely one hundred per cent on point. Our media are not holding Morrison to account on his gross mishandling of the hand that feeds us. The economic saviours (aka LNP) are costing this country billions of dollars in lost export revenue and this crisis escalating.


I agree with one of the comments that reads:

"IMHO kowtowing to Trump is exactly what got us into this situation. I suspect Scomo was confident that he would be returned to power, and Trump is the kind of leader that would expect Toadies like Scomo to follow his lead in regards to the COVID investigation in China."


 

So how did we get here?


To start with we have to acknowledge the sad reality that in the realm of international diplomacy, what is “right” is not always the right thing to do. Speaking truth to power rarely provides any benefit when you’re speaking as the leader of a weaker nation to a more powerful one.


This is uncomfortable to acknowledge, but it is the reality. In the Wild West that is global geopolitics, “might is right” and moral victories usually matter little to the lives of citizens.


We can and should question what inspired Morrison to instigate this debacle through his public calls for an inquiry into the origins of Covid; was it his kowtowing to Trump? Was it his desire to grandstand to his base? Or was it a failure to understand the significant differences in how the very notion of an inquiry is perceived in China as opposed to a Nation that has inquiries after almost any event of note?


In principle, I actually agree that the events that led to the greatest social and political upheaval in a generation as well as the deaths of millions around the World should be subject to scrutiny if for no other reason than to help ensure it never happens again.


What is abundantly clear now though, if it wasn’t at the time, is that this public declaration by Morrison was a completely unnecessary poking of a global superpower that has been increasingly utilising economic intimidation to achieve its diplomatic goals.


What we are now facing is a regime intent on bending the Morrison Government to its will. Morrison has been backed into a corner by his diplomatic ineptitude. He must now either quietly stare down the attacks or, if he breaks, he will signal to China, and the rest of the World, that the policies of the Government of Australia are overtly subject to Chinese Government approval.


The problem for all Australians, even those like myself who blame Morrison for getting us into this situation, is that we are in that corner with him.


As many have warned for years, the human rights abuses carried out by our Government are being used against us. It is one of the multitude of reasons why Australians should care when our Government breaks International Law.

But no one should be deluded into the idea that the Chinese Government cares one iota about human rights. This is a brutal regime prepared to hurt anyone that threatens its hold on power. Any attempt to repaint them as anything else just because it hurts Morrison only muddies the water.


Our enemy’s enemy is not always our friend, and wishing the Chinese regime’s success in intimidating our Government is truly cutting our nose off to spite our face.


Indisputably, Morrison got us in to this mess, but now it us up to all of us to pull ourselves out of it. On this issue, his success is our success. This relationship needs to be carefully, quietly, and dare I say it, diplomatically handled.

Beware of how you might be being manipulated to achieve the foreign policy objectives of a regime that thrives off misinformation. Whichever side of politics you are on, do not take the bait.

 

Background:

https://amp.sbs.com.au/.../9f4dd9a9-924f-4a84-be30...

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I find it hard to blame anyone but China themselves for the current situation. I don’t know whether a more diplomatic leader would have us in a better position.

I think they have been spoiling for a fight (or rather an overt power struggle) for a long time and if it weren’t the call for a Covid inquiry it would have been something else. I think they are determined to increase their power and a reacting badly to any attempts to hold them back.

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YodaTheWrinkledOne

I find it hard to blame anyone but China themselves for the current situation. I don’t know whether a more diplomatic leader would have us in a better position.

What current situation are you talking about? I don't think China gives two hoots about what Australia does or says. They are not dependent on us for much. And the tweet yesterday demonstrates that. They knew it would be inflammatory, they did it anyway. I don't think they care much about the protests from Australia, they will be looking to see the world response, not the Australian response.

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I find it hard to blame anyone but China themselves for the current situation. I don’t know whether a more diplomatic leader would have us in a better position.

What current situation are you talking about? I don't think China gives two hoots about what Australia does or says. They are not dependent on us for much. And the tweet yesterday demonstrates that. They knew it would be inflammatory, they did it anyway. I don't think they care much about the protests from Australia, they will be looking to see the world response, not the Australian response.

The current situation of of a deteriorating relationship, escalating negativity and trade disruptions with multiple export products being held up or rejected for dubious excuses.

But I think we are possibly in agreement. China doesn't care what we think and I don't think we could have prevented this just by being more diplomatic.

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I find it hard to blame anyone but China themselves for the current situation. I don’t know whether a more diplomatic leader would have us in a better position.

What current situation are you talking about? I don't think China gives two hoots about what Australia does or says. They are not dependent on us for much. And the tweet yesterday demonstrates that. They knew it would be inflammatory, they did it anyway. I don't think they care much about the protests from Australia, they will be looking to see the world response, not the Australian response.

The current situation of of a deteriorating relationship, escalating negativity and trade disruptions with multiple export products being held up or rejected for dubious excuses.

But I think we are possibly in agreement. China doesn't care what we think and I don't think we could have prevented this just by being more diplomatic.

 

I agree. Although I think they are miscalculating if they think the world is going to shrug its shoulders and submissively carry on trading with China. The indications are that many countries are very concerned at its behaviour.

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Demanding an apology is an embarrassing response and shows how out of his depth Morrison is.


The picture may be a fake but it represents truth. Our soldiers did slit the throats of children. They then disposed of their bodies in a river. Perhaps some modest reflection wouldn't go astray before grandstanding, howling faux outrage, and demanding apologies. Surely Morrison is chest beating to appease a domestic xenophobic vote base... and to the absolute detriment of our trade industries.


You know though, many or even most of those farmers would have voted for this pack of wreckers. If anything good comes from this it will be a realisation at long fucking last that the Liberals nor Nationals serve their best interests. Maybe they need to hurt, and I hope they noticed when Morrison flippantly advised them to 'find new markets' without any offer of support from his government or acknowledgement of his role in this economic crisis.

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China does not really care at all about those children though. China would actually have no moral problem with what Australia did outside of China if only Australia acted more in China’s increasingly aggressive interests around the world.


The problem is bigger than Scott Morrison and won’t go away with the election of another government.

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It was a lower tier official that posted that meme.

#scottyfrommarketing blundered in like a high schooler having a meltdown.


Not a huge fan of Julie Bishop but this wouldn't have happened on her watch.


China is a significant human rights abuser,they were before and they still are.

It seems Australia has to answer for our behaviour as well.


None of this is news to our Government,they should act like they are in control and have strategies.

They are always reactive rather than proactive.

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It seems like such a ham-fisted handling of this, right from the 'demanding an investigation' into the origins of Covid. Seriously, how could they not have predicted this is what would happen. Of course we need to disengage and stop relying on China, but starting a war with them was not the way to do it.

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VictorineTheCatLover

China has some nerve. They are a country that has appalling human and animal rights abuses yet they dare to make that image. Stones and glass houses and all that.


But they don't care what the rest if the world thinks. They've already placed themselves in an irremoveable position in the seas around Asia and the Pacific and if anyone thinks it won't be warvto remove them then they are very sadly mistaken. China plays the long game and this was in motion longer than anyone on here has been alive.

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It seems like such a ham-fisted handling of this, right from the 'demanding an investigation' into the origins of Covid. Seriously, how could they not have predicted this is what would happen. Of course we need to disengage and stop relying on China, but starting a war with them was not the way to do it.

 

Yes, I think this is why China is trying to make an example of Australia. It does not want countries collaborating together and disengaging as a collective from its economy. And by punishing Australia, it’s hoping to keep other countries in their place. Whether this works or backfires time will tell.


https://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/how-australia-can-respond-to-china-s-aggression-20201201-p56jgv.html


I see that Jacinda Ardern has spoken out to express concerns with China’s tweet. NZ has until now stayed very quiet as their economy is also very dependent on China.


The WA premier is worried about iron ore sales

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-01/wa-premier-calls-for-cool-heads-in-china-row-amid-iron-ore-fears/12939094

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I feel like the China - Australia relationship is hugely complex - and far beyond the knowings of #Scottyfrommarketing.

Yes, they have been positioning themselves over decades to become a world super-power and are starting to flex their muscles diplomatically and financially.

But Australia has NOT been dealing well with China. The last time our relationship with them was good was when Kevin Rudd was PM. Since then we have been dismissive or downright hostile to their interests. Many LNP politicians have written opinion pieces on the dangers of China and there are countless examples of racist behaviour by 'ordinary' Australians. We certainly haven't given them the 'special relationship' status that we have with USA, UK or NZ, despite the fact that they are tremendously important to our economy and we actually do have huge cultural ties with them (Chinese born citizens, foreign students, a large part of our tourism sector).

I absolutely think that the tweeted picture was despicable - and designed to antagonise us. A trap which our politicians and media have walked right into. It's also despicable that the tweet seems to have created more uproar than the actions of our soldiers.

We need to accept that the US is a dwindling superpower, and that Europe is not likely to step up and fill the position. This means that China will be the dominant world power over the next few decades. I wish we had a government that could tread the fine line between looking after our own interests, massaging the egos of the relevant diplomates and leaders in China AND also exert some influence on their responses to human rights, climate and covid.

Right now we're doing the opposite - at almost every instance we're pouring fuel on the fire. We could have taken a much more conciliatory approach to investigating the origins of covid, and also acknowledged that they have done an amazing job of controlling it compared to most Western nations. We could be working with them on getting to zero emissions by 2060 (their goal). We don't really get the right to say much about their human rights abuses (which are manifest) whilst we are imprisoning refugees, murdering civilians whilst 'peacekeeping' and continuing to fail our first nations people.

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Yes, not disagreeing that Scott Morrison’s handling is inept. Had he let the Tweet go, he might have temporarily defused that particular provocation. However the stakes are much bigger than that and are now to the level where ASIO has reported that China actively tried to groom political candidates in Australia to promote China’s interests. They wanted us to implement the Huawei network and allow them to influence University programs in relation to China in a direction not critical of the CCP. All this has been simmering away for a few years now.


This is not Kevin Rudd’s or even Julia Bishop’s China where diplomacy was a useful and productive approach. The dynamic has changed. Back then China left us to it to some extent.


In a way, Australia is a bit like an expensively well kept wife in an abusive relationship with an increasingly controlling husband. Even the rhetoric reminds me of the power imbalance in such a relationship.. Being quiet and diplomatic in such relationships does not make the over arching problem of lack of self determination and expression go away, as Hong Kong found out.

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Being quiet and diplomatic in such relationships does not make the over arching problem of lack of self determination and expression go away, as Hong Kong found out.

 

No it doesn't make the problem go away but extending on your metaphor here going off half cocked at the abuser without a safety plan in place will potentially get you killed and/or made homeless. Why don't we just leave, right?

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It doesn't matter whether it was SCOMO or not, any leader from any party would be responding the same way as he is right now as they are completely backing him.

NO I do not support Morrison in any form but on this I think we are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Do we come back at them regarding their thousands of years of infanticide of female babies or do we not poke the bear ?

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I find it hard to blame anyone but China themselves for the current situation. I don’t know whether a more diplomatic leader would have us in a better position.

I think they have been spoiling for a fight (or rather an overt power struggle) for a long time and if it weren’t the call for a Covid inquiry it would have been something else. I think they are determined to increase their power and a reacting badly to any attempts to hold them back.

 

Agreed.


They've been spoiling for a fight for a long time. In the run up to this we've had the South China sea dispute (Aus has largely steered clear of), Five eyes and Huawei.


I'm no Scomo fan but I don't think he's seeking to antagonise them with his comments. China are definitely fanning the flames here.


I don't know where I read it (The Guardian perhaps?) but there was an article earlier this week on the hypocrisy of China calling out Australia over war crimes in Afghanistan given their state sanctioned genocide of Uighurs. Our media isn't perfect but no one is seeking to deny what happened in Afghanistan and the grim reality of offshore detention is also regularly reported on. China's silence on their own human rights abuses is deafening.

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Do we come back at them regarding their thousands of years of infanticide of female babies or do we not poke the bear?

 

The latter. They are the hand that feeds us.


They know they are human rights abusers. What would we achieve stating the obvious bar an escalation of this dick swinging?

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Do we come back at them regarding their thousands of years of infanticide of female babies or do we not poke the bear?

 

The latter. They are the hand that feeds us.


They know they are human rights abusers. What would we achieve stating the obvious bar an escalation of this dick swinging?

 

That is my thought too but I'd like them to know that nobody has forgotten.

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Do we come back at them regarding their thousands of years of infanticide of female babies or do we not poke the bear?

 

The latter. They are the hand that feeds us.

 

 

We are also one of the many hands that feed them. China cannot feed its own population without significant imports.

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Do we come back at them regarding their thousands of years of infanticide of female babies or do we not poke the bear?

 

The latter. They are the hand that feeds us.

 

 

We are also one of the many hands that feed them. China cannot feed its own population without significant imports.

 

They've been buying our land, water, farms and mines for years. I think they're well prepared to feed their people. I wonder if we are prepared to feed ours.

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Being quiet and diplomatic in such relationships does not make the over arching problem of lack of self determination and expression go away, as Hong Kong found out.

 

No it doesn't make the problem go away but extending on your metaphor here going off half cocked at the abuser without a safety plan in place will potentially get you killed and/or made homeless. Why don't we just leave, right?

 

China owns us so much compared to other developed nations I am not sure if we can actually quietly and diplomatically implement a safety plan on our own without significant sanction or further punishment.. In fact, being us quiet would probably suit them as they can do it under the radar of international scrutiny. Like not picking up the phone for example.


As ill advised the response to the Tweet was, it got sympathetic international attention. I feel our only way out is through a collaboration with other similar nations in presenting a united front.

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YodaTheWrinkledOne

I feel like the China - Australia relationship is hugely complex - and far beyond the knowings of #Scottyfrommarketing.

Yes, they have been positioning themselves over decades to become a world super-power and are starting to flex their muscles diplomatically and financially.

But Australia has NOT been dealing well with China. The last time our relationship with them was good was when Kevin Rudd was PM. Since then we have been dismissive or downright hostile to their interests. Many LNP politicians have written opinion pieces on the dangers of China and there are countless examples of racist behaviour by 'ordinary' Australians. We certainly haven't given them the 'special relationship' status that we have with USA, UK or NZ, despite the fact that they are tremendously important to our economy and we actually do have huge cultural ties with them (Chinese born citizens, foreign students, a large part of our tourism sector).

I absolutely think that the tweeted picture was despicable - and designed to antagonise us. A trap which our politicians and media have walked right into. It's also despicable that the tweet seems to have created more uproar than the actions of our soldiers.

We need to accept that the US is a dwindling superpower, and that Europe is not likely to step up and fill the position. This means that China will be the dominant world power over the next few decades. I wish we had a government that could tread the fine line between looking after our own interests, massaging the egos of the relevant diplomates and leaders in China AND also exert some influence on their responses to human rights, climate and covid.

Right now we're doing the opposite - at almost every instance we're pouring fuel on the fire. We could have taken a much more conciliatory approach to investigating the origins of covid, and also acknowledged that they have done an amazing job of controlling it compared to most Western nations. We could be working with them on getting to zero emissions by 2060 (their goal). We don't really get the right to say much about their human rights abuses (which are manifest) whilst we are imprisoning refugees, murdering civilians whilst 'peacekeeping' and continuing to fail our first nations people.

Pretty much agree with all of this

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