In response to Victoria’s “Belt and Road” related agreement with China, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison stated that there were no benefits to Victoria’s agreement with China, “If there are benefits, what are they? What are the costs?” suggesting that the agreement would be vetoed by the federal government.
In an interview with Australia’s Herald Sun, Morrison said, “I don’t see any benefit to this so far.” “If there are benefits, what are they? What are the costs? I can’t answer those questions at the moment, but (the government) will continue to assess these matters.”
Australian Finance Minister Josh Frydenberg also stressed, “We disagreed at the outset, we still disagree, and a decision on this matter will undoubtedly be made at the appropriate Time.”
The signing of a memorandum of understanding with China on the Belt and Road Initiative in 2018 by V.I. Governor Dan Andrews has been heavily criticized by outsiders for the possibility that China could use it to gain funding and control of key infrastructure in Victoria. The “One Belt, One Road” program is US$1.5 trillion (about 42.4 trillion Taiwan dollars) in size, and China has signed 170 agreements with 125 countries.
Australia passed the Foreign Relations Act in December last year, which gives the government the right to review and even veto agreements signed by states, territories, local councils and public universities with other countries, so there is a real possibility that the Australian federal government could intervene in the agreements signed by Victoria and China.
Andrews and other state governors and territorial chief ministers must submit their agreements with foreign countries to the federal government by March 10 for the federal government’s assessment. The Daily Mail reported that Morrison’s statement was undoubtedly a preview to Victoria of what the agreement with China would entail.
Andrews defended the Belt and Road agreement, promising that it would bring “more jobs, more trade and more investment” to Victoria. But Morrison stressed that he wants all foreign relations and agreements to be consistent with Australian federal policy, “which is a very important principle… when a government deals with other governments, there has to be consistency.”
In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian slammed, hoping the Australian government would look at such cooperation objectively and reasonably, do more to increase mutual interests, and stop damaging bilateral relations.
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