Senior Chinese diplomat blames Australian media for negative spin on Beijing’s grievances

Name: Australia ditched diplomacy for ‘adversarial approach’ to China and ‘a pat on the head’ from US
Uploaded: 2020-12-04T07:09:25.000Z
Duration: 7 min 55 s
Description: Australia ditched diplomacy for ‘adversarial approach’ to China and ‘a pat on the head’ from US

Deputy head of mission Wang Xining says 14-point list of issues a ‘media interpretation’ that has been oversimplified as a series of demands

He also suggests PM Scott Morrison overreacted to image of Australian soldier holding knife to Afghan child, calling it an ‘artwork by a normal young artist’

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Wang Xining calling on Canberra to take unspecific “concrete actions” to repair ties. Photo: EPA-EFE

John Power

Published: 3:09pm, 4 Dec 2020Updated: 10:04pm, 4 Dec 2020

China’s No 2 diplomat in Australia has suggested a list of grievances at the centre of a bitter diplomatic dispute between the sides has been oversimplified as a series of demands made by Beijing.

Wang Xining on Friday accused Australian media of “randomly giving a name” to the Chinese embassy’s listing of 14 issues that the embassy said had “poisoned” ties, including Canberra’s proposal for an inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic and “antagonistic” media reports about China.

The document has been widely interpreted in Australia as a list of concessions expected from Canberra in order for Beijing to lift restrictions it has slapped on more than a dozen Australian exports including beef, barley and wine.

“The so-called 14-point dossier is a media interpretation,” said Wang, who is deputy head of mission at the Chinese embassy in Canberra. “It’s been given a name, and [become an] oversimplification.”

Wang also suggested Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had overreacted to a digitally created image of an Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of an Afghan child that was posted on social media on Monday by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. Morrison labelled the posting “repugnant” and “outrageous” and demanded Beijing apologise and take it down. Beijing has refused, accusing Canberra of seeking to “deflect international attention” from an Australian inquiry that found evidence that Australian special forces soldiers were responsible for the murders of 39 civilians and prisoners in Afghanistan.

“People wondered why a national leader would have such a strong opinion to an artwork by a normal young artist in China,” Wang said.

07:55

Australia ditched diplomacy for ‘adversarial approach’ to China and ‘a pat on the head’ from US

Wang said China hoped for a “better atmosphere on which we can build our relations,” while also calling on Canberra to take unspecific “concrete actions” to repair ties.

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