Shame on Australia, not China: China Daily editorial

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is seeking an apology from China after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian condemned Australian soldiers for their alleged atrocities against Afghan civilians on his Twitter account.

China was fully justified in rejecting his demand, not least because Zhao's tweet was on his personal Twitter account and not an official response.

The tweet includes an artwork depicting what the Australian soldiers reportedly did to Afghan children, as revealed last month by the Australian Defence Force, after a four-year inquiry found Australian elite forces allegedly killed 39 Afghans civilians and prisoners unlawfully in an environment where "blood lust" and "competition killings" were reportedly the norm.

"Some patrols took the law into their own hands, rules were broken, stories concocted, lies told and prisoners killed," admitted Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell.

What the soldiers reportedly did was worse than what was depicted in the artwork of Zhao's tweet, and considerably more shocking and appalling.

Yet instead of feeling ashamed for the heinous crimes of the Australian soldiers as detailed in the findings of an independent inquiry, Morrison called Zhao's tweet repugnant and claimed that his country felt offended by it.

Morrison's indignation is like allowing a man to steal a horse, while condemning another for looking over a hedge. The news has ignited an international outcry, yet Morrison directs his anger toward China.

But then the Australian government habitually resorts to a double standard when it comes to China.

Instead of venting his spleen at China and engaging in an unnecessary war of words, Morrison should squarely face all the criticism of the Australian soldiers' acts and hold the perpetrators accountable.

To some extent, Morrison's attempt to deflect attention from what if proven would constitute war crimes is symptomatic of Australia's ties with China. Rather than reflecting on its own mistakes, it always seeks to blame China for the current souring of bilateral ties.

From a Chinese perspective, the current Australian government is no longer trustworthy as it has demonstrated little sincerity in trying to mend the fences with China. Such a change of public opinion in China will have a profound impact on China's interaction with Australia.

Thanks to the anti-China farces staged by the Australian government one after another in recent years, the Chinese people no longer deem Australia to be a friendly country, an attractive tourist destination or a reliable destination for overseas studies. It may take some time for such an undesirable message to sink in. Until then, bilateral skirmishes like the one this week will only become more frequent.

Morrison appeared to have softened his tone on China in an article published last week. Now his temper has betrayed his insincerity, and shown his true face.