SIMON BIRMINGHAM: Does the Chinese Government see Australia as a friend or foe?
Does the Chinese government or military see Australia as an enemy? That is a key question that follows the release by China of a propaganda video using that description.
This video is an unacceptable glorification of unacceptable military conduct.
It features a Chinese People’s Liberation Army pilot boasting about how he confronted a Royal Australian Air Force plane, stating that “we must show our swords to the enemy”.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The Australian plane was undertaking routine maritime surveillance activities entirely in accordance with international law, as the RAAF has done for decades.
In response, the PLA plane fired flares and released “chaff” that directed aluminium fragments into the RAAF flight path, which were sucked into the plane’s engines.
Imagine for a moment the consequences if this action had resulted in a catastrophic outcome. Or if the PLA’s subsequent dangerous sonar attack against divers on the HMAS Toowoomba, or its released flares across the flight path of an ADF helicopter, had resulted in tragedy.
These actions against Australia are just a small sample of the aggressive PLA conduct across the Indo-Pacific that is making our region less safe.
Prime Minister Albanese let Australia down when he was too timid to raise this initial aircraft incident directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the first opportunity he had to do so, shortly after it occurred.
Today’s world is profoundly different to the one that I or most of us grew up in.
With its welcome economic growth of recent decades, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty and boosting many economies including our own, modern China has grown into a great power.
While the United States remains the world’s biggest economy and most powerful military, China stands clear as the next most influential.
Like all great powers, the Chinese Government understandably seeks greater influence.
But with greater power comes greater responsibility. Of great powers more is rightly expected.
When Australia engages with great powers, they should be in no doubt about what we believe and what we would encourage of them.
With China, we seek stable relations, with positive engagement in areas of collaboration.
The trade between our nations is mutually beneficial to each and, in strengthening both of our economies, it is good for our region and the world.
It caused mutual harm when Chinese leaders chose to interrupt that trade in breach of undertakings we had made to one another through free trade deals struck by the previous Liberal-led government.
As a country, in the face of attempted economic coercion accompanied by unacceptable demands, Australia did not compromise on policies or interests, but demonstrated resolve.
Eventually, as Australia demonstrated the resilience of our economy, industries, businesses, and people, China chose to remove most of the coercive trade sanctions against us.
Australia did not cower or compromise, and we should be proud of that.
That strength should give us all the courage to always stand by our values and national interests.
We welcome the restoration of trade more consistent with our free trade agreements and in a positive environment would wish to see that trade relationship grow further.
Stemming the flow of drugs, co-operatively tackling regional health threats, and working together to address the challenges of climate change are just some of the other areas where Australia and China can do more together.
These are not the attitudes or wishes of an enemy, but of one who seeks to live up to the spirit of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership our countries also signed under the last Liberal-led government.
For these ambitions to be realised our region needs to be one of peace and stability, without PLA military aggression undermining trust.
Australia always encourages respect for the international rules and laws that underpin peace and stability.
While not a great power ourselves, Australia’s influence and leadership in our region matters too.
China, as a great power, should respect international rulings on maritime boundaries and its forces should not engage in acts of aggression or actions that risk miscalculation. This includes cyber-attacks.
China should use its influence and relations with countries like Russia, Iran and North Korea to stem the flow of weapons and funds used against Ukraine, not enable it. And to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons in more dangerous and less predictable regimes.
China should not target or unfairly detain the citizens of other nations and should show compassion to the likes of Australia’s Yang Hengjun.
Australia’s position on issues like these, which impact upon peace and security — along with the sovereignty of nations smaller than ourselves — should be of no surprise.
We must have the confidence to express these positions, along with the wisdom to do so appropriately.
In response to a shameful video promoting the worst of attitudes towards Australia and the most dangerous of military conduct, Mr Albanese and his Government should shake off their timidity.
Representations to China should happen quickly, be fulsome in the concerns expressed and be sought at the highest levels.
While not a great power ourselves, Australia’s influence and leadership in our region matters too.
We should not be seen to walk past this behaviour and, as a nation that wishes for friendly relations with all who reciprocate, we should not tolerate being described as the enemy.
