**The geopolitical battle between Australia and China intensifies as China lists 14 grievances while escalating further trade sanctions against Australia. **
It's been an interesting week with international media now focusing on the diplomatic issues arising between Australia and China. The debate has been raging for quite some time now and tempers have been flaring with Australian politicians taking the fight to Asian Australians.
An odd move made in a parliamentary inquiry by a Liberal National Party (torries) Senator Eric Abetz demanded Chinese Australians condemn the Chinese Communist Party. The move resulted in China calling out the racist and outrageous demand.
A Chinese Government official stated in Canberra (Australia's Washington) that "China is Angry, if you make China the enemy, China will BE the enemy" strong words from a nation that has the economic and military to back it up.
Beijing flexes against Australia
It's easy to see that Australian politicians are escalating tensions not just on topics relating to Hong Kong and Taiwan but also on a range of other topics. In a diplomatic move by Beijing to Australia China has listed 14 grievances it has with Australia in an attempt to resolve the escalating dispute.
The Australian prime minister has outright rejected China's grievances stating that China won't answer Australia's calls. The Australian trade minister Simon Brimingham weighing in on the action stating "The Ball was in China's court". A Chinese Government official was quick to rebutt responding with Why should China care about Australia?" calling phone calls meaningless and that the atmosphere between Australia and China was "Bad". You can read more Here
## 14 Grievances
Source
The 14 grievances China has raised against Australia go beyond the South China Sea dispute with China focusing in on Australia's "Anti-China" crusade. Alluding to the recent condemnation Australia has had towards China in getting to the bottom of the COVID19 pandemic with some Australian politicians believing the current pandemic is China's fault and that China should pay compensation. Many Australian elected officials often follow trumps lead by calling it the "Wuhan" virus or draw racial comparisons. That might have worked for Trump who had the world's greatest military power behind him but for Australian politicians that lack the bite. That move has harmed Australia more as China has taken action against the words.
China also raises allegations that Australia is accusing it of undertaking cyber attacks on Australia without sufficient proof and the banning of Huawei from the 5G network and blocking 10 Chinese foreign investment deals across infrastructure, agriculture and animal husbandry sectors. Resulting in financial loss to China. With Chinese officials stating that if Australia backed away from the 14 grievances then the relationship between Australia and China would be resolved.
What do Aussies think?
In a recent survey conducted by mainstream media (had to disclose that because they don't always seem to get it right) most Australians are wanting Australia to seek alternative export markets and wanting some form of action against China for its diplomatic move.
62% of respondents thought Australia should speak up against human rights breaches by China with 23% cautious about antagonising the super power in fear of its military and our dependence on China as a trading partner. You can see more Here
China is Australia's largest trade partner accounting for 40% of exports and 1 in 13 jobs. China's economic impacts on Australia are largely felt with many of the trade sanctions currently costing Australia $20Billion in annual income through exports.
As tensions are unlikely to ease in the coming months further economic impacts and job losses will most likely be felt by Australians.
45% of respondents also supported war with China which has quickly been used to score political points by senior members of government (torries of course) appealing to community sentiment which does nothing but cause further conflict between between two nations.
Australian Labor Party Senator Penny Wong has spoken out against the breaches of International Law that China is committing in the "grey zone" relating to disputes arising between China and Taiwan. But she also cautioned against discussions that promoted war and that Australians and mainstream media should be calling out our prime minister and other members of parliament who incite anti China sentiment leading to war talks for their own domestic benefits. The allegations caused the Prime Minister to denounce he was doing such things.
Penny Wong denounced Defence Minister Peter Dutton and Home Affairs Secretary Micheal Pezzullo for their comments increasing tension between China and Australia. Their statements clearly informing the public that war with China shouldn't be discounted and that the "Drums of war" were in fact beating. Big words from little blokes and I wonder if they will be the first to touch the shores of China should war break out, probably not as they'd be hidden in a bunker somewhere while they send us to die. War should never be openly discussed as such an empty point. War means death for both China and Australia and it is abhorrent how Liberal National Party members can so openly and freely discuss sending people to die for their own political bull shit. (My opinion). You can read more Here
Further concerns are being raised at the anti Chinese sentiment growing in Australia and its impacts on Chinese Australian community members with many calling for early support in the wake of a possible racial tensions. Further funding is being sought to provide support services and Chinese news and media in native languages to better inform and support Chinese Australians.
While the world begins to take a focus on what it occuring between Australia and China it is still unclear on what will occur but with a federal election on the cards we can probably agree on the fact that right wing Nationalist party members will crank up the racial disputes between China and Australia for short term political wins over long term bipartisan agreements between Australia and China.