Sky News Australia (Sky News Australia) reported on May 10 that an article in the Global Times threatened a missile attack on Australian territory if it intervened in the Taiwan Strait conflict, and Joe Siracusa, a professor at Curtin University (Australia), suggested that the Morrison government Joe Siracusa said the Chinese Embassy should be closed if the Chinese ambassador refuses to deny the article’s claims.
Citing a Global Times article about Beijing’s threat to launch a long-range ballistic missile, Siracusa noted that China would certainly “follow through” on their claims if the test were conducted. “I think such a threat is a very serious diplomatic mistake on their part,” he said.
In response, Siracusa argued that the Australian government should summon the Chinese ambassador for questioning and demand that he deny the claims and, if he refuses, expel him from the country.
Siracusa said, “When you threaten another country with an attack on their soil, it’s time for the ambassador to go home, and that sends a very important message.”
Australian Prime Minister Morrison said May 6 that Australia would support the United States and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region should war break out in the Taiwan Strait.
Morrison said Australia has noticed the uncertainty in the Indo-Pacific region, and it is to deal with this situation that relevant security and defense agreements exist, and was twice asked whether he supports Taiwan, Morrison said he “has always defended freedom in the region”.
In response to Morrison’s comments, Hu Xijin, editor-in-chief of the Global Times, suggested in a May 7 article that Beijing should punish Australia as a deterrent.
Hu Xijin wrote: “Given that Australia has been advocating or implying that it will assist U.S. forces and participate in the war in the event of a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait, and that the Australian media has been promoting related hype, Hu advocates that China should develop a plan to punish Australia in retaliation for its military intervention in the Taiwan Strait, including a long-range strike on Australian military facilities and related key facilities in the event that Australia does send troops to fight the PLA in China’s coastal waters. related key facilities by long-range strikes.”
Over the past period, senior Australian government officials have made frequent statements about Taiwan and conflict with mainland China.
Australian Defense Minister Dutton said the possibility of conflict with China over Taiwan “should not be underestimated” and that Australia would work with its allies in the region to maintain peace.
Australian Home Affairs Secretary General Persu said the “drums of war” have been beaten and that Australia and its freedom-loving allies must prepare to fight for freedom.
Bilateral relations between Australia and China were strained in 2018, when Australia echoed the Trump administration by becoming the first country to publicly ban the use of Huawei equipment in its 5G network. Last year Australia also called for an independent investigation into the origin of the new crown virus, leading to a further deterioration in relations between the two countries and inviting a trade backlash from China.
China has retaliated by imposing high tariffs on Australian imports of coal, lobster, barley, wine and other products as a result of the deteriorating Sino-Australian relationship.
On April 21, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne announced that her country had torn up the Belt and Road Memorandum and Framework Agreement signed between China and the Victorian state government.
Recent Comments