US Vice-President Dick Cheney stood before an audience in Sydney on Friday and let China have it between the eyes.
He began by praising Beijing for its role in bringing about an agreement with North Korea over nuclear technology.
But then he added that 'other actions by the Chinese government send a different message. Last month's anti-satellite test [and] China's continued fast-paced military build-up are less constructive and are not consistent with China's stated goal of a peaceful rise'. In that test, a ballistic missile launched from the ground destroyed a Chinese weather satellite.
Mr Cheney was addressing the Australian-American Leadership Dialogue, a private organisation that promotes ties between the two countries.
The next day, Australian Prime Minister John Howard was asked whether he agreed with the vice-president's criticism of China.
He cleverly avoided endorsing Mr Cheney's remarks, by emphasising Australia's closeness to both China and America. Mr Howard said his government has, over the past decade, been able to build 'a very constructive, understandable relationship with China', while remaining realistic about the fact that China 'remains an authoritarian country'.
