On the defence, China lashes Australia’s ‘racism and hate crimes’
Source: Sydney Morning Herald | Original Published At: 2024-10-24 03:59:43 UTC
Key Points
- China accuses Australia of human rights hypocrisy and systemic racism
- Response to Australian UN ambassador James Larsen leading 14-nation statement against Chinese rights violations
- Tensions highlight ongoing volatility in China-Australia relations despite Albanese government's 'stabilisation' efforts
- Contextualized by China's growing influence in the Pacific region
Singapore: China has accused Canberra of human rights hypocrisy, claiming it has a long history of “systematic racial discrimination and hate crimes”, after Australia’s top diplomat to the United Nations led an international effort calling out Chinese rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet.
The tirade comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese landed in Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on Thursday afternoon, where China’s increasing assertiveness and influence operations in the Pacific are expected to loom large over the discussions.
China’s accusations, though not new and previously levelled at the Morrison government, demonstrate the ongoing volatility of the bilateral relationship even as the Albanese government has pursued a “stabilisation” agenda.
Australia’s ambassador to the UN James Larsen led a joint statement earlier this week, raising “ongoing concerns about serious human rights violations in China”. Larsen delivered the statement on behalf 14 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, Sweden, and Japan.