The nuclear submarine deal angered Beijing

Chinese Ambassador to Canberra: Australia "sharpens swords" instead of peace

  • Wang Xining: The Australian people should worry about their country's reputation.

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  • Australia canceled a submarine deal with France.

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Acting Chinese Ambassador to Australia Wang Xining said Australian politicians do not serve the interests of their country.

The Chinese diplomat likened Australia to a "naughty man" over the nuclear submarine deal, saying it threatened Australia's "peace advocate" and that the Australian people "should be more concerned."

Here are excerpts from an interview with the Guardian:

• Australia plans to acquire at least eight nuclear-powered submarines.

Does this change the situation in the Pacific?

•• Australia does not currently have a nuclear capability, technologically speaking, and this would ensure that it is free of trouble and accident free.

And if anything happens, are politicians ready to say sorry to people in Melbourne and Adelaide?

• Australia, along with the United States, is likely to help Taiwan in a dispute with China.

What impact does this have on relations with China?

•• I call on Australian politicians to refrain from doing anything that is destructive to our relationship, and to work to promote these relations, away from quarrels.

• Are there indications that Beijing is about to end the freeze on dialogue between Chinese and Australian ministers?

•• Speculation about Australia's involvement in a military conflict is not a conducive environment for high-level talks.

So some behaviors that are not beneficial to both countries need to be changed.

• What are the possible consequences of increasing tensions in the relationship between Australia and its largest trading partner?

•• I wouldn't be surprised if Canberra decided to cancel a Chinese company's long-term lease to the Port of Darwin;

I wonder if Australia can afford that, and cancel another contract.

• Canberra canceled a contract with France to purchase 12 diesel-electric submarines in favor of a new security partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom, to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.

•• The Australian people should worry about the effect of the deal with America and Britain, and worry about their country's reputation, given that Australia has portrayed itself as a supporter of the international system.

And by trying to get a nuclear-powered submarine, it certainly has an impact on the current non-proliferation regime.

So are you going to be a naughty person?

• What is the Chinese view of Australia?

•• People of my age, in China, consider Australia to be peace-loving, but people nowadays know that a nuclear-powered submarine is designed to launch a long-range attack against a distant target.

So who will you attack?

She was no longer a lover of peace, or a defender of peace, but rather sharpened the sword in a certain way.

• The "Ocos" agreement between Washington, London and Canberra changed some facts.

is not it?

•• The deal between Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom is an Anglo-Saxon deal, and it shows that some Westerners still have the mentality of stratifying people according to their cultural and ethnic background.

• Do you see the Australian move as a violation of international covenants and treaties?

•• The negative policies and actions on the part of Australia, were implemented against China in a cruel and arbitrary manner;

The Chinese company, Huawei, banned the use of the 5G network in 2018, canceled the Belt and Road agreement earlier this year, and increased barriers to foreign investment that scared Chinese investors.

• The government will soon look into the future of a Chinese company's lease of the port of Darwin.

•• Under the current contract signed between "Lanbridge" and the government of the Northern Territory, in 2015, the company plans to expand the port's capacity.

But I wouldn't be surprised if the (Australian) intelligence and security service were to interfere again in normal business operations.

And the Chinese government will respond to any decision that is announced, as it has responded to all the negative moves, so far.

• I wouldn't be surprised if Canberra decided to cancel a Chinese company's long-term lease to Port Darwin.

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