China-Australia relations: Beijing blames Canberra for trade spat, citing grievances from Huawei to Taiwan

Name: China-Australia trade: Beijing set to ban nearly US$400 million worth of Australian wheat imports
Uploaded: 2020-11-17T20:00:10.000Z
Duration: 1 min 15 s
Description: China-Australia trade: Beijing set to ban nearly US$400 million worth of Australian wheat imports

Beijing has dismissed Australia’s claim that the ‘ball is in its court’ to salvage relations between the two countries

China’s foreign ministry claims Canberra’s stance on issues ranging from Xinjiang to 5G networks is to blame for dispute

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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian says China bears ‘no responsibility’ for the collapse in ties with Australia. Photo: Reuters

Finbarr Bermingham

Published: 4:00am, 18 Nov 2020Updated: 5:15pm, 18 Nov 2020

China has rejected Australia’s claim that the “ball is in its court” regarding resolution of their escalating trade dispute, providing a long list of alleged offences that have “greatly hurt the feelings of the Chinese people”.

At a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday, foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China bears “no responsibility” for the collapse in bilateral ties, which has resulted in a series of Australian exports to China being hit with trade restrictions.

Zhao cited Australia’s criticism of China’s policies on Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan, as well as its calls for an “independent international review” of the origins of the coronavirus pandemic as causing the rift in relations.

He said lobbying for Taiwan to be admitted to the World Health Organization and banning Chinese companies from Australia’s 5G telecommunications network had also soured the relationship.

Australia’s “arbitrary searches” of Chinese media reporters and accusations of Chinese “intervention and infiltration” in domestic affairs had further politicised bilateral ties, Zhao added, accusing Canberra of “clinging to cold war mentality and ideological prejudice”.

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China-Australia trade: Beijing set to ban nearly US$400 million worth of Australian wheat imports

Over the weekend, before the signing of the world’s biggest trade deal, which includes both Australia and China, Australian trade minister Simon Birmingham said “the ball is very much in China’s court to come to the table” for dialogue.

“It is crucial that partners like China, as they enter into new agreements like this, deliver not only on the detail of such agreements, but act true to the spirit of them,” Birmingham told The Age newspaper.