Australian media made ‘panda hugging’ a sin: Chinese diplomat Wang Xining

Name: Australia seeks WTO mediation on China barley tariffs
Uploaded: 2021-03-02T10:31:08.000Z
Duration: 2 min 1 s
Description: Australia seeks WTO mediation on China barley tariffs

Media has fuelled suspicions of China with negative portrayals, particularly during the coronavirus, says Beijing’s No 2 in the country

But with ties strained by factors including trade restrictions and Hong Kong’s national security law, critic says Beijing has contributed to problem

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Wang Xining, Deputy Head of Mission at the Chinese Embassy in Australia. Photo: EPA

John Power

Published: 6:31pm, 2 Mar 2021Updated: 10:08am, 3 Mar 2021

China’s No 2 diplomat in Australia has blamed “fabricated arguments” about threats to Australian sovereignty and security for making it “really difficult to be China’s friend”.

Speaking at an event hosted by the Australia China Business Council, Wang Xining said Australia and China had over the years developed a “multilayered, multi-sector” model of collaboration that had benefited both sides. But a “small number of people” had fuelled suspicions of the relationship, he said, singling out the Australian media for painting “negative portraits” of China and harming ties between the countries.

“Currently, the friends of China are given the nickname ‘panda-hugger’,” said Wang, whose remarks were made last week. The Chinese embassy published them in English on its website on Monday.

“It used to be a word of appreciation but now it carries derogatory meanings. It seems that being friendly to China, to be a friend of China, has become a sin and mistake in Australia.”

Media outlets, Wang said, had chosen to carry negative reports about Chinese firms in Australia sending personal protective equipment (PPE) to China during the coronavirus pandemic, while ignoring or casting suspicion on efforts by Chinese suppliers to send medical equipment to Australia when Covid-19 cases rose in the country.

02:01

Australia seeks WTO mediation on China barley tariffs

In June, Seven News apologised to Richard Yuan, a Chinese-Australian businessman, for suggesting he had attempted to profit from an attempted donation of medical supplies to the Australian government during the early days of the pandemic.

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