Canberra shouldn't deceive itself: China Daily editorial

Due to the rising discrimination Asians, particularly Chinese, have been subject to in Australia amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, China has warned its citizens not to travel to Australia and advised students not to choose to study in the country, a normal move for countries in such circumstances.

But in a bid to make it out to be more than it is, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne has claimed that China's warning is "disinformation". 

The facts show otherwise: The racial discrimination against Chinese and other Asians in Australia is well documented. Statistics from the Australian Human Rights Commission show that in the first quarter of 2020, hundreds of Asians complained of racial discrimination, which made up 25 percent of the complaints.

The Australian Broadcasting Corp reported that there were three racist attacks against Chinese families within a week in April. The state of New South Wales received 241 racial discrimination complaints between January and April 2020, while police in Queensland received 22 such reports from March to early May.

Even Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham, though he felt obliged to brush off China's travel warning on Australia, admitted there had been racist incidents in Australia in an interview with the ABC last week. 

As such, how can Payne have the nerve to say the warning is disinformation? How can she turn a blind eye to the rights and interests and feelings of those victims?

To try and justify her ill-intentioned remark, Payne said Australia may have made itself a target by speaking out for a review on the source of the novel coronavirus.

While it is true that Beijing has strongly opposed the proposal, as the idea has been hijacked by Washington as a ploy to blame China for the pandemic and its effects, it is Canberra's willingness to be used as a "pawn" in Washington's anti-China campaign that has fostered the racist sentiment behind the abuse and attacks on Chinese and other Asians. 

Canberra should know that putting bilateral ties back on the right track and addressing the anti-China sentiment in the country serves its long-term interests. After all, what can better cater to its interests than advancing relations with its biggest trading partner and biggest export market? 

If Canberra is really concerned about the impact of China's travel and study alerts on the Australian economy, addressing the widespread racial discrimination at home and encouraging a more friendly atmosphere toward Chinese people is the right way to win back Chinese tourists and students.