China has accused Australia of enjoying with hearth and undermining efforts to restore relations between Beijing and Canberra after a bunch of six MPs touched down in Taiwan.
In an op-ed printed in a single day, the Chinese communist mouthpiece the Global Times slammed Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for failing to oppose the go to.
“Considering Albanese’s vague and cop-out remarks which will undoubtedly encourage the arrogance of anti-China forces and pro-Taiwan secessionist forces in Australia, there is a big question mark hanging over Australia’s sincerity on improving its relations with China,” the Global Times mentioned.
The delegation of backbenchers consists of former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, Labor’s Meryl Swanson and Libby Coker, and Coalition MPs Scott Buchholz, Terry Young and Gavin Pearce.
On Saturday, Mr Albanese sought to minimize the importance of the go to and insisted it was not a authorities go to.
“There remains a bipartisan position when it comes to China and when it comes to support for the status quo on Taiwan,” he mentioned.
It is, nonetheless, the primary parliamentary delegation to go to Taiwan since 2019 and follows Mr Albanese’s assembly with China’s Prime Minister Xi Jinping on the G20 in Bali final month.
In its editorial, the Global Times mentioned the go to would “cast a shadow” on the efforts to thaw relations with Australia and China.
“Those who play with fire will perish by it. The politicians from certain countries who visit Taiwan to seek limelight are like political god (sic) of plague and pestilence,” it mentioned.
“They bring nothing but risks and tension to Taiwan and no benefit to their own countries, and they also hijack their own country’s China policy.
“As the Australian MPs’ Taiwan visit is under way, it has already generated negative impacts on the China-Australia relationship.”
But Mr Joyce denied the journey was ill-timed, telling Sky News the backbenchers weren’t there to “antagonise” China.
“We want to make sure that we are both close to mainland China and also close to Taiwan,” the Nationals MP mentioned.
“I don’t think there is anything unusual (about the trip) at all. I don’t think people could read it any other way unless they chose to. Then it becomes a question for them.”
The delegation touched down in Taiwan on Monday and is predicted to fulfill with President Tsai Ing-wen and Foreign Minister Joseph Wu.
