The schism between Australian and Chinese interests is structural, no matter how much Labor and its groveller-in-chief pretend otherwise:
Penny Wong was right to warn the Chinese government of the existence of strong foreign interference legislation in Australia, after Hong Kong authorities issued arrest warrants for two democracy activists now resident in Australia.
Hong Kong’s national security police also offered $HK1m rewards for information that leads to the capture of lawyer Kevin Yam, an Australian citizen, and former Hong Kong legislator Ted Hui, who lives in Adelaide.
The Foreign Minister expressed her “deep disappointment” at the Chinese actions, and reiterated that Canberra had long held deep concerns about the application of national security laws in Hong Kong.
Yawn. Will Beijing balk at harsh language?
If Australians are to be protected, then the groveller-in-chief must make a stand:
The Coalition has urged the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, to reconsider plans to travel to China after Hong Kong authorities vowed to pursue exiled democracy advocates “for life”.
The Labor government has also warned that it would not tolerate any foreign interference on Australian soil as it promised to protect the principle of free speech, but China’s foreign ministry said western countries should “stop providing a safe haven for fugitives”.
Labor’s groveller-in-chief desperately wants to travel to celebrate 50 years of post-Whitlam kissing of Beijing’s ring.
My best guess is that Labor’s deep culture of grovelling will overwhelm the national interest again.
After all, if we are happy to stick the entire economy back in the Chinese noose, what is one trip by the PM?
Get ready for national humiliation.
