Abstract

Article

When President Trump was very remiss in protecting his country from COVID -19, he distracted attention fom it by attacking China on the subject and demanded an immediate international investigation to whichChina must submit.  Austraalia dutifully followed suit, thoughChina expressed a willingness to participate, but after the virus had been controlled since is attention was then directed to developing an antidote.

The President of the Australian Industry Coouncil, or some such body,called for a cessation of such 'megaphone diplomacy' and a resort to more respectful and respectable diplomacy.

However,it continued for a while, but since the Chinese government has responded to this and other sinophobic conduct with trade sanctions, the calls for an enquiry as a matter of serious urgency, as it had been expressed, have become strangely silent.

There have been other provocative actions,which need no recounting, though it may be interesting to advert to one seemingly discriminatory action. A Chinese national said to be associated with the Chinese government has been charged under the new law against attempts by forieign parties to influence Australian political affairs, a  resonable protection but for the fact that it occurs elsewhere so abundantly.  Or is it suggested that there are not attempts by external forces to try to weaken or evven overthrow the government of China, Russia, Iran, etc?

However, given the validity of the law's point, we have seen no account of the same procedure's use agaiinst the participants to an attempt to influence Australian political action against the Chinese government by one Mr Bann with a Chinese anti-government billionaire.  Or against a so-called 'think tank' bearing Australian and Strategic in its name, which often makes anti-Chinese pronouncements.  It is in part funded by the US Army.

The issue is hether we shoould be surprised if our customer takes umbrage at ourattitude and takes its custom elsewhere? If the proprietor of a coffee shop loudly berated a customer from time to time, should he be surprised if the customer went elsewhere.

One thing may be added,  China has reduced its Australian barley intake.  It now buys it from the US - after President Trump threatened trade sanctions on China if it did not buy more US products.

Perhaps, without abandoning oour own principles, we should also try to understand the other party's point of view more, and try more diplomatic methods.

Our government must feel very disappointed with China's attitude to our trade treaty after ourgvernment spoke up so righteously in support of China when Trump was doing it to China.