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Espionage, fifth-generation (5G) networks, investigating the origins of the new coronavirus, Hong Kong, and now Canberra have canceled a trade deal with Beijing: China-Australia relations have become increasingly strained since 2018.
Here are the main reasons for disputes between the two parties:
Agreement canceled
Yesterday, Australia announced that it was terminating the agreement signed by the Australian state of Victoria to join the “New Silk Roads”, considering it incompatible with its foreign policy.
The New Silk Roads is a major Chinese infrastructure investment project launched in 2013 at the initiative of President Xi Jinping. Its goals include improving trade links between Asia, Europe, Africa and beyond by building ports, railways, airports or industrial parks.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne yesterday decided to cancel agreements signed in 2018 and 2019. The Chinese embassy in Australia condemned her decision, calling it “unreasonable and provocative.”
Now the focus is on Beijing, which can respond.
Without 5G
Bilateral relations began to deteriorate in 2018, when Australia excluded the Chinese private telecommunications giant Huawei from building its high-speed mobile Internet network 5G. Canberra assessed that companies associated with foreign governments are a risk to national security.
The Chinese company denied being affiliated with Chinese intelligence.
Investigation of the new coronavirus
In April 2020, Australia supported the US request for an international investigation into the origin of the COVID-19 epidemic. This angered Beijing, which considered the request hostile and politically motivated.
Chinese Ambassador to Australia Chen Tsuge has hinted that Canberra’s call could lead to a boycott of Australian wine and tourist visits to Australia by Chinese consumers.
Trade tensions
In recent months, Beijing has taken a number of measures against a dozen Australian products, including barley, beef and wine.
A few weeks after Chen’s warning, Beijing suspended imports from Australia’s four major beef suppliers, without mentioning a request to investigate the new coronavirus.
Following an anti-dumping investigation, Australian wine is already subject to high compensatory excise duties, which double or even triple its price in China.
Arrests and espionage
The arrest of Australians in China also poisons bilateral relations. The former Australian presenter in the Chinese state English-language television CITN Chen Lei has been detained since August for reasons of national security.
Chinese-born Australian writer Yang Jun, known by his pseudonym Yang Hengjun, has been in prison since January 2020 on charges of espionage.
Two Australian journalists, who feared they would also be arrested, left China in September last year after being questioned by Chinese police.
Beijing has criticized Canberra for police raids on the homes of Chinese journalists working in Australia as part of an investigation into a potential public opinion campaign.
“Five eyes”
Australia has been a member of the Western Five Eyes Alliance, which has been highly critical of China since a controversial national security law went into effect last summer in Hong Kong, China’s autonomous territory.
Together with the United States, Britain, Canada and New Zealand, Australia has publicly condemned Hong Kong’s electoral reform and expressed concern about Chinese technology companies’ intentions abroad.
“Whether they have five or ten eyes, if they dare to encroach on China’s sovereignty, security and development, be careful, because their eyes may be pierced and they may go blind,” a foreign ministry spokesman warned. / BTA
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