Aussie China News
A weekly roundup of your favourite (and least favourite) Australian digital media coverage of China.
Hello everyone and welcome to a new issue of Aussie China News!
This post covers Australian digital news and commentary on China between Friday 3rd March and Friday 10th March.
News
On the hot seat: Red Alert
‘Australia’s holiday from history is over’
Peter Hartcher and Matthew Knott, Sydney Morning Herald, Mon 6 Mar 2023
Australia faces the real prospect of a war with China within three years that could involve a direct attack on our mainland, but Australia’s defence force is woefully unprepared, the population complacent and the nation’s political leaders unwilling to address the dire threats we face.
Australia faces the threat of war with China within three years – and we’re not ready
Peter Hartcher and Matthew Knott, Sydney Morning Herald, Tue 7 Mar 2023
Australia’s government has not told the people about the seriousness of the threat the country faces. That’s the verdict of a group of five experts brought together by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age for a review of Australia’s national security, who blew away the fog of war to give Australians some critical points of honest insight. Their consensus? The overwhelming source of danger to Australia is from China. The nature of the threat extends to the prospect of a full-scale war – and Australia would have to be involved.
The first 72 hours: How an attack on Taiwan could rapidly reach Australia
Peter Hartcher and Matthew Knott, Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 8 Mar 2023
A blizzard of cyberattacks from China on Australia’s communications and electricity grid would cripple the nation, our defence panel warns.
The debate
Media hype of war with China forgets the impact on Australian society
Yun Jiang, The Guardian, Thu 9 Mar 2023
Fixation on conflict tends to exclude debate around costs, tradeoffs and social cohesion.
The public’s views:
Forget the red alert, a ‘love offensive’ is the best way to reach China
Letters, Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 8 Mar 2023
If Xi Jinping wants Taiwan back in a relationship with China he should start a “love offensive”: genuinely show respect, exchange cultural activities.
Chinese and Taiwanese want peace, not war
Letters, The Age, Thu 9 Mar 2023
I am deeply disappointed by your headline “Australia ‘must prepare’ for threat of China war” (The Age, 7/3), and the opinion of the five experts. I am a Singaporean Chinese by birth, an Australian citizen, and my wife’s parents evacuated from China to Taiwan in 1948 where she was born. I fully endorse the view of those letters, published in The Age this week, expressed by mainly non-Chinese Australians, that diplomacy and peace, not weapons or war, is the correct way to resolve the Taiwan-China dilemma.
Bill Shorten slams warning that Australia could be at war within three years
Courtney Gould, news.com.au, Tue 7 Mar 2023
An alarming warning that Australia could be at war with China within three years has been dismissed as “dramatic headlines”.
A ‘profound mistake to define China as an enemy’: Richard Marles dismissed Chinese war threat
Sky News, Tue 7 Mar 2023
Defence Minister Richard Marles repeatedly dismissed the Liberal government's warnings about the threat of war with China, claiming in 2021 that it would "remain a profound mistake to define China as an enemy."
China is the clear and present danger, Mr Keating, so let us call a spade a spade
Editorial, Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 8 Mar 2023
The Herald’s expert panel’s naming of China as a clear and present threat has been underscored by their call for US long-range missiles – potentially armed with nuclear weapons in the most dire of circumstances – to be based on Australian territory and the reintroduction of national service.
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd warns of risk of 'accidental war' with China
Sarah Ferguson, ABC, Thu 9 Mar 2023
Ahead of taking up his position as Australia's ambassador to Washington, former prime minister Kevin Rudd has warned of the dangers of the tense relationship between the US and China.
We do not want war, but Australia needs to be ready.
Peter Hartcher and Matthew Knott, Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 9 Mar 2023
Read our experts' verdict in full. Watch the video of the debate on Australia's defences.
China’s response:
China blasts Australian media's 'wave of war propaganda': 'New level'
Tom Flanagan, Yahoo! News, Thu 9 Mar 2023
"A wave of war propaganda". That's the blistering assessment from Chinese state media which on Wednesday accused Australian media of a concerted campaign of misinformation.
The Podcast
Should the media report on hypothetical wars?
Eleni Psaltis, ABC, Wed 8 Mar 2023
If some newspaper front pages are to be believed, a war with China could break out within three years. Whether you agree with these predictions or not, should the media report on war predictions? If so, how should the media report on war predictions?
In Summary…
Crikey Worm
Emma Elsworthy, Crikey, Fri 10 Mar 2023
Hey, speaking of China — state media South China Morning Post columnist Alex Lo accused the SMH and The Age of “pouring more fuel on to the fire” at a volatile time for Australia-China relations. The first line of the “Red Alert” series, which warns we could be at war with China within three years, rather bombastically reads: “Within 72 hours of a conflict breaking out over Taiwan, Chinese missile bombardments and devastating cyberattacks would begin pummelling Australia. For the first time since World War II, the mainland would be under attack. Meanwhile, 150,000 American troops would descend on the Top End seeking refuge from the immediate conflict zone.” Grab the popcorn, folks. Crikey’s David Hardaker called it “pompous, khaki hyperbole” and former SMH heavyweight Geoff Kitney said no editor he worked under during 40 years would’ve greenlit the “alarmist, Murdoch-style, click-bait journalism”. Hollywood screenwriting aside, the premise is not without merit. Former prime minister Kevin Rudd said China’s relationship with the US is in a pretty bad way, the ABC reports, and we do need to be careful that we don’t end up in a “war by accident”.
Politics
Penny Wong meets Chinese foreign minister, urges Beijing to help end Ukraine war
Stephen Dziedzic, ABC, Fri 3 March 2023
Australia's foreign minister, Penny Wong, has used her first meeting with the new Chinese Foreign Minister, Qin Gang, to once again press Beijing to relax trade restrictions and use its influence over Russia to bring the war in Ukraine to a close.
Xi Jinping has officially been installed as China's president for an unprecedented third term. This is what he has planned
Bill Birtles, ABC, Mon 6 Mar 2023
Sitting in the middle of the stage, poker face on, China's paramount leader Xi Jinping didn't have to say anything at the opening day of the national Congress to firmly stamp his mark on it. Instead — like every year — Xi's nominal deputy, state premier Li Keqiang delivered the work report. He put a positive spin on a difficult 12 months and outlined how China would bounce back from a damaging prolonged COVID-zero crusade.
Security
Billions more in military spending won’t be enough to counter China: Morrison
Paul Sakkal, The Age, Mon 6 Mar 2023
Former prime minister Scott Morrison has argued Australia’s military spending should increase by billions of dollars a year to counter China.
New China envoy slams Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy
Li Liu, AFR, Tue 7 Mar 2023
China’s new Foreign Minister warned that soaring US-China tensions risk blowing past any guardrails in the relationship, showing that divisions between the world’s biggest economies were becoming more entrenched.
New Zealand public servant accused of spying for China
Thomas Manch, Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 9 Mar 2023
A senior analyst for the New Zealand government has been accused of providing privileged information to the Chinese government by the country’s Security Intelligence Service.
AUKUS deal to fuel rising China tensions
Michael Smith, AFR, Thu 9 Mar 2023
Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement is expected to further agitate Beijing, which has warned of “conflict and confrontation” as it accuses the United States and its allies of seeking to contain China.
AND! The Daily Mail posted an alarmist article that they seem to have now deleted:
Tech
It’s not xenophobic to call time on TikTok, it’s vital
Fergus Ryan, Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 8 Mar 2023
As governments around the world set their sights on TikTok, the company is defending itself with what it does best – distraction. Last week, TikTok chief operating officer Vanessa Pappas said that social media apps needed industry-wide legislation and that calls for TikTok to be banned were xenophobic.
Chinese AI groups use cloud services to evade US chip export controls
Eleanor Olcott, Qianer Liu and Demetri Sevastopulo, AFR, Thu 9 Mar 2023
Chinese artificial intelligence groups are skirting export controls to access high-end US chips through intermediaries, revealing potential loopholes in Washington’s blockade of cutting-edge technology to the country.
‘I’m not a bot’: Melbourne scholar behind pro-Beijing Twitter account plans to ‘debunk’ Xinjiang claims
Frank Chung, news.com.au, Thu 9 Mar 2023
To many, Maureen A Huebel almost doesn’t seem like a real person. But after sparking outrage with a viral post, the 75-year-old insists “I’m not a bot”. The vociferously anti-American Twitter account posts a constant stream of pro-China — and more recently, pro-Russia — messages to her 3000 followers, with an unusual focus on debunking claims of Uyghur repression in Xinjiang.
Economics and trade
Iron ore price tumbles on China's 'modest' growth target
The Australian, Mon 6 Mar 2023
Commodity prices have tumbled after China outlined a modest growth target of 5 per cent for 2023.
China's new coal plant approvals surge in 2022, highest since 2015, new research shows
ABC, Fri 3 Mar 2023
Last year, China approved the construction of another 106 gigawatts of coal-fired power capacity, the equivalent of two large coal power plants per week and its highest in seven years, new research has shown.
Perth Mint sold diluted gold to China, got caught, and tried to cover it up
Angus Grigg, Ali Russell, Stephanie Zillman and Meghna Bali, ABC, Tue 7 Mar 2023
The historic Perth Mint is facing a potential $9 billion recall of gold bars after selling diluted or "doped" bullion to China and then covering it up, according to a leaked internal report.
Perth Mint chief executive admits 'doping' controversy hurts reputation as WA opposition calls for royal commission
Keane Bourke, ABC, Tue 7 Mar 2023
The head of the Perth Mint has acknowledged issues around gold it supplied to China were "damaging and unacceptable", as the state's opposition calls for a royal commission into the government-owned organisation.
Albanese open to visiting China, but business cautious on Xi regime
Michael Smith, Peter Ker and Gus McCubbing, AFR, Tue 7 Mar 2023
Anthony Albanese says he will travel to China if invited by Xi Jinping’s administration, but cautions that his government will protect the national interest if there are disagreements with Beijing.
China tops the list of foreign house buyers in Australia
Nick Lenaghan, AFR, Thu 9 Mar 2023
Buyers from China dominate foreign investment in Australian residential real estate, with $1.6 billion in proposed purchases approved in the six months to the end of December last year, official figures show.
‘Progress’ being made on Australia-China trade talks
Sky News, Thu 9 Mar 2023
Australia is closer to reopening more trade routes with China following a high-level virtual meeting between senior Australian and Chinese officials.
Society
Hong Kong court convicts members of Tiananmen vigil group
Jessie Pang, Sydney Morning Herald, Sat 4 Mar 2023
Three former members of a Hong Kong group that organised annual vigils to mark China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown, were found guilty on Saturday of not complying with a national security police request for information.
Chinese national sentenced for attacking Falun Gong member at Canberra's flower festival Floriade
Elizabeth Byrne, ABC, Thu 9 Mar 2023
A Chinese national who attacked a Falun Gong member at Canberra's Floriade festival last year has apologised to his victim in person after he was sentenced in the ACT Magistrates Court today.
Labor government scraps China COVID-19 testing requirement after introducing the controversial measure in January
Lauren Evans, Sky News, Thu 9 Mar 2023
Travellers from China touching down in Australia from Saturday will no longer have to provide a negative COVID-19 test before entering the country.
End of COVID-19 predeparture requirement in China
Department of Health and Aged Care, Thu 9 Mar 2023
Australia’s pre-departure COVID-19 testing requirements for passengers arriving from the People’s Republic of China, including the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, will cease applying to flights that land in Australia at 12.01am on 11 March 2023.
Opinion and analysis
International women’s day :
Beijing and the birth rate: a question of human rights for women
Yun Jiang, The Interpreter, Wed 8 Mar 2023
As China grapples with population decline, the pressure on women in China is only increasing. Under paramount leader Xi Jinping, women’s rights continue to deteriorate as the state pressures women to have more children to arrest the decline.
Gender Inequality: A Key to Understand China’s Population Decline
Yun Zhou, Australian Institute of International Affairs, Wed 8 Mar 2023
Without a genuine commitment to gender equity and reproductive rights, China’s birth-incentivising measures are unlikely to result in any sustained fertility recovery. Rather, these pro-natalist efforts will reinforce existing patterns of gender inequality.
Australia has had some Pacific wins, but there’s no cause for complacency
Anthony Bergin and Jeffrey Wall, The Strategist, Fri 3 Mar 2023
China’s growing influence in the Pacific islands region hasn’t ended, but there are signs that it’s slowed, especially on security issues. There’s been progress on the ground to withstand Chinese political warfare.
Does China’s rapid rise in the Australian car market pose a security risk?
Jack Norton, The Strategist, Mon 6 Mar 2023
The news that China was the fourth largest source of car imports to Australia in 2022 would have come as a surprise to all but the closest observers of the automotive industry. Behind only Japan, Thailand and South Korea, sales of Chinese-made cars were up 61% on their 2021 figure to almost 123,000.
China is right about US containment
Edward Luce, AFR, Thu 9 Mar 2023
There is no endgame to today’s cold war. Unlike the USSR, China inhabits historic boundaries and is never likely to dissolve. The US needs a strategy to cope with a China that will always be there.
We need far more expertise on China to deal with Xi Jinping
John Fitzgerald, The Australian, Thu 9 Mar 2023
Mastering history isn’t easy but it’s essential for coming to grips with Xi Jinping’s China. At this critical moment in relations with China, Australia is at risk of losing its edge in historical studies, according to a new report on Australian university teaching and research on China – Australia’s China Knowledge Capability. We could also miss out on shifts in China’s elite politics and international relations if we don’t charge our universities to train up a new generation of China specialists in the humanities and social sciences.
Is Australia in the dark about its most powerful neighbours?
Peter Varghese and Joseph Lo Bianco, AFR, Thu 9 Mar 2023
Our knowledge of Asian countries is central to our ability successfully to navigate the future. Yet it is extraordinary to discover, through systematic and careful research, that in 2023 Australia’s research-based expertise about the countries of our geographic region is thin.Read the report here:
Is China’s new foreign minister a wolf warrior in sheep’s clothing?
Michael Smith, AFR, Thu 9 Mar 2023
When Penny Wong met with Qin Gang for the first time last week, China’s new foreign minister was playing nice.
Thank you so much for reading! This project is in its experimental phase, so please send your feedback and let me know what you think as I work to improve it.
If you found it useful, subscribe and share with your network!