In this matter, why is it said that Australia is reversing history?
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 24 -
Questions: on this matter, why Australian Open history in reverse?
Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Yue
On April 21, Australian Foreign Minister Marys Payne stated in an email statement that the Australian Federal Government has cancelled the "Belt and Road" cooperation memorandum of understanding and framework agreement signed between the State of Victoria and China's National Development and Reform Commission.
As soon as the news came out, it immediately caused widespread concern.
On the one hand, local officials represented by the Governor of Victoria, Australia, Daniel Andrews, praised the “Belt and Road” and believed that the “Belt and Road” could bring rich opportunities and considerable benefits to Australia; on the other hand, Australian Prime Minister Morrison and Minister of Foreign Affairs Payne and other senior officials of the Australian federal government frequently slandered the “Belt and Road” initiative, and eventually tore up the agreement between the two parties on the vague and unfounded charges of “not in line with Australia’s foreign policy”.
Andrews welcomes the "Belt and Road" cooperation for a very reasonable reason, out of his own development needs——
Victoria is Australia's traditional economic state, and China is Victoria's largest trading partner and an important source of investment, the largest source of overseas students and international tourism income.
In cooperation with China on the “Belt and Road”, Victoria will be able to obtain capital, technology and experience, create employment opportunities, rejuvenate the economy, and get out of the haze of the epidemic as soon as possible.
Victoria has always been very active in reaching mutually beneficial cooperation with China under the framework of the “Belt and Road” initiative.
In 2018, the Victorian government and China signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation on the “Belt and Road” initiative.
In 2019, Andrews led a delegation to Beijing to attend the second “Belt and Road” International Cooperation Summit Forum, and signed a framework agreement to jointly promote the “Belt and Road” construction with the National Development and Reform Commission of China.
The Australian Federal Government’s reasons for rejecting the “Belt and Road” initiative are ridiculous.
Some senior officials of the federal government completely ignored the demands of their local governments, repeatedly claiming that Victoria’s “Belt and Road” agreement with China was “opaque” and “inconsistent with Australia’s national foreign policy and contrary to Australia’s national interests” and forced Victoria to “withdraw from the agreement immediately. "In the end, they brazenly tore up the agreement through administrative means, and did not hide his impatient face.
Payne subsequently claimed that he "has no intention of targeting any country" and "remains a partner with China", even more so that there is no silver in this place.
In fact, the Australian Federal Government did not hold a negative attitude towards the “Belt and Road” initiative from the very beginning.
In August 2015, during the second China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue, the two sides expressed their willingness to connect the “Belt and Road” initiative with the Great Northern Development Initiative of Australia.
Analysts pointed out that the main factors that led to a major change in the attitude of the Australian federal government include the instigation and coercion of the United States and the anti-China sentiment of individual Australian officials.
"The Australian Federal Government has firmly tied itself to the American chariot, and is willing to be an anti-China vanguard. Such an approach is quite unwise." said Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs of Renmin University of China.
He said that the Australian side should clearly realize that the relevant agreements were signed by the Australian local government voluntarily with the Chinese side. The Australian federal government’s approach to tearing up the agreement is a typical manifestation of political interference in the economy. It goes against the principles of market economy and the laws of economic development and is bound to suffer. To the strong resentment and opposition from the domestic business community, this behavior without the spirit of contract also severely damaged Australia's own image and credibility.
"One Belt One Road" is a sunny avenue for everyone to move forward hand in hand.
As of January 30, China has signed 205 cooperation documents for the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" with 140 countries and 31 international organizations.
In the face of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the "Belt and Road" partners support each other and forge a "bond of destiny" that unites to fight the epidemic and develop together.
Compared with the Victorian government, some people in the Australian federal government have really narrowed the road.
Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Center at East China Normal University, said that Payne suddenly announced that he would tear up the agreement during his visit to New Zealand. This time is also intriguing.
"The Australian government intends to use its own actions to force neighboring countries to stand in line, revealing its hostility toward China, and even aggressively. The Australian side seems to believe that the United States wants to set up an anti-China camp around the world to jointly suppress China, and China is already in a weak position, so they must stand in line early. Go ahead."
“Australia is acting arbitrarily on the anti-China road, which is damaging to its own national interests. Chinese investment in Australia is drastically decreasing. According to the estimates of Australian Department of Trade officials, Australia’s trade with China in almost all industries has plummeted by 40%.” Chen Hong said The Australian Federal Government’s move is disregarding its own people’s livelihood and is short-sighted political opportunism.
Chen Hong said that China-Australia relations have continued to decline in recent years, which is worrying.
Against this background, the Australian Federal Government has not only failed to take measures to improve the relations between the two countries, but also brazenly tore up the agreement. It can be seen that they are obsessed with their relations with China and have gone one way to the end.
In doing so, the Australian Federal Government will surely endure the consequences of further deterioration in relations between the two countries.
"As an export-oriented country, losing a large market like China will definitely have a huge impact on its own economy. This is a complete strategic error."
Those who play with fire must burn themselves.
Turning a deaf ear to the demands of the people of its own country, disregarding international morality, willing to act as an anti-China "bridgehead", such a bad act of reversing history, Australia will eventually be hit by the wheels of history and be beaten with regrets!