China-Australia relations: Canberra hits back at Xi Jinping’s ‘bullying’ remarks amid trade dispute
- China’s President Xi Jinping told the Davos forum this week that relations between countries should be governed by rules and institutions, not dictated by might
- Relations between China and Australia were in free-fall throughout last year, with China hitting out at a list of issues and imposing import levies on various products
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Chinese President Xi Jinping’s call for big countries not to bully the weak has exposed a “disconnect” between China’s behaviour and rhetoric, a top Australian minister said on Wednesday.
Xi told the forum – which this year is being held entirely online – that relations between countries should be governed by rules and institutions, not dictated by might.
“The strong should not bully the weak. Decisions should not be made by simply showing off strong muscles or waving a big fist,” Xi said in remarks seemingly courting favour with smaller nations and offering a veiled criticism of the United States.
The reality is, Australia has been on the receiving end of some pretty harsh actions when it comes to our trade
But Frydenberg told reporters on Wednesday that Xi’s comments did not tally with China’s acts of economic coercion toward Australia.
“Well, we agree with that sentiment that big nations should not bully small ones but there seems to be a bit of a disconnect between the words and the actions,” he said.
“The reality is, Australia has been on the receiving end of some pretty harsh actions when it comes to our trade.”
