Hooray for free speech, at the ABC:
A New South Wales council that sparked widespread controversy when it voted to cut ties with Kunming in China has rescinded the original motion and will issue an apology.
Wagga Wagga City Council voted last week to end a 32-year long relationship with its sister city Kunming over concerns about the Chinese Government and its handling of coronavirus.
The decision was criticised by community leaders, local politicians and the Chinese Consulate-General in Sydney and was reversed at an extraordinary council meeting on Wednesday night.
The vote to rescind the original motion passed 6–1.
Mayor Greg Conkey said he felt “physically ill” last week when the initial motion passed and was pleased it has been rescinded.
“I’m sure that will be a big step in repairing any damage that’s been done and I’m sure the people of Kunming will understand.
“I’m sure our relationship will pick up where it left off.”
Praise for council’s decision to cut ties
Several Chinese-Australians addressed the council meeting, praising its decision to cut ties with China and sharing stories about their lives under the communist regime.
Lucy Zhao said she grew up in Kunming.
“The Kunming City Government is part of the Chinese Communist Government — it’s not truly enacted by the people in Kunming, China.
“This regime has no respect for human life and human rights.”
Mayor Conkey thanked those who spoke at the meeting and said his heart reached out to them, but insisted the sister city relationship was not about the central government and its policies.
“They were powerful and I took on board what they were saying,” he said.
“Similar views have been expressed to me over the last week.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said the decision to cut ties with China was made in haste and was unnecessary.
“I think the right outcome has been achieved,” he said.
“When you think about the relationships that Wagga Wagga has forged with China and Kunming over more than three decades it was important this two-way relationship continued.”
Kunming wants relationship to continue
The Kunming Municipal Government released a statement ahead of Wednesday’s vote, criticising the three councillors who supported the motion to end relations.
“We have noticed that the vast majority of citizens of Wagga Wagga expressed strong opposition and condemnation to the behaviours of the few councillors, which is consistent with the friendly relationships between the two cities.
“We believe that the blasphemy of a few people in Wagga Wagga cannot represent mainstream public opinion.”
Mayor Greg Conkey did not attend last week’s council meeting due to illness, and said it was only because of “unfortunate circumstances” that three councillors were able to pass the motion, which most of the councillors opposed.
“That three elected members could shake the very foundation of goodwill which the reputation of this city is built upon, is a lesson for us all about the significant decisions we make and the impact they have on the people we represent, the broader community and, most importantly, our friends.”
Motion wasn’t expected to pass
Councillor Paul Funnell, who put forward the motion to cut ties with China, said he never expected it to pass but had wanted to raise his concerns about the cities’ ties.
“I don’t want to be in a relationship with a communist regime,” he said.
He said the Chinese Government “delights in lies, subterfuge and cover-ups” and “brought death and destruction across the world with COVID-19”.
In its statement, the Kunming Municipal Government said it supported the continuation of the sister-city relationship.
“Kunming hopes … the two sides will be able to push the friendly and cooperative relations between the two sides back on the right track.”
The Chinese consulate-general in Sydney and local community leaders have also supported calls for the relationship to continue.
Councillor Conkey said the council received emails from people across Australia in support of the decision to end relations with China.
“There’s certainly an anti-Chinese group out there,” he said.
“But I don’t see too many Wagga residents signing those emails.
Bow down before the one you serve.
