According to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Michael Shoebridge. China’s reaction to the cancelling of the dangerous Belt and Road agreement in a “wolf warrior fashion” will end up being a large “own goal” for Beijing.
Beijing and the Andrews government in Victoria was cancelled last night by the foreign affairs minister using the new foreign relations bill powers.
The deal was amongst four agreements with countries such as Iran, Syria, and China that the federal government opted to cancel after they were deemed inconsistent with Australia’s national interests.
Mr Shoebridge told Sky News the Chinese Ambassador to Australia, Cheng Jingye, has already begun behaving in “wolf warrior fashion” by getting “highly incensed and critical”.
“Threatening more economic coercion against Australia for us making a decision to reduce their ability to coerce us; all that’s going to do is highlight the huge risks in deep economic engagement with China,” he said. “China’s reaction can be a large own goal for Beijing. Beijing’s anger and hysteria does nothing but damage their interests.
“The contrast between Australian calmness and Beijing hysteria is actually one of the reasons further coercion of Australia is affecting China’s soft power globally. We’ve seen it collapse over 2020 and this year.”
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