Australia’s opportunist move likely to run into stone wall

Despite strong criticism from Australian Chinese and indignation from China, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull seems determined to play his new role as China-basher-in-chief. His enthusiasm for the part is casting a dark shadow on the formally bright prospects for bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

After making China a scapegoat for his country’s intention to crack down on external interference in domestic politics last week, Turnbull said on Saturday both in English and Mandarin that “the Chinese people have stood up” and “the Australian people stand up”, showing he intends to continue pandering to the anti-China bias of some in Australia.

Many may find it unfathomable why Turnbull and some other politicians and local media outlets are all of a sudden targeting China, their country’s largest trading partner. After all, there is no issue left over by history or fundamental interest clash between the two countries.

Instead, Australia owes much of its economic prosperity in recent years to China’s huge demand for its natural resources. And there has been increasing Australian public recognition of the importance of developing a healthy and growing relationship with China in the Australian society.

Yet, Turnbull has chosen to lead the anti-China chorus that has emerged, seemingly basing his judgment on false media reports of China’s so-called attempt to seek political influence in Australia. While Turnbull may be conveniently exploiting the anti-China sentiment in Australia for his own political gains, there is no denying there has been a longtime political bias against China in Australia. It has voluntarily served as the vanguard of the United States’ efforts to contain China’s rise in recent years. Last month, its 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper emphasized the importance of consolidating its alliance with the US and pointing its finger at China as a threat to the world order.

Australia’s outdated Cold War mentality has naturally influenced the country’s perspective on China and led to its opportunistic practice in foreign policy toward China. That well explains why some Australian politicians seem to be quite content to pursue economic ties with China on the one hand while decrying what they say is the county’s reliance on China on the other hand.

Any far-sighted politician would know such schizophrenic behavior cannot go on forever without running into a stone wall.