"DON'T interfere in our politics" That's the continual message from China to the West...... ....but..... Angry response from China after Australia scraps Belt and Road Initiative APRIL 22, 2021 Daniel Andrews, Victorian state premier. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has scrapped Victoria’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) deal with China, calling it “inconsistent with Australia’s foreign policy”. The decision made late on Wednesday night threatens to inflame already fraught diplomatic tensions between Canberra and Beijing. Deploying Australia’s powerful new veto powers under legislation passed last year for the first time, the Federal Government ended the deal, warning it was against Australia’s interests. “I consider these four arrangements to be inconsistent with Australia’s foreign policy or adverse to our foreign relations in line with the relevant test in Australia’s Foreign Relations (State and Territory Arrangements) Act 2020,’’ Foreign Minister Marise Payne said. “I will continue to consider foreign arrangements notified under the Scheme. I expect the overwhelming majority of them to remain unaffected. I look forward to ongoing collaboration with states, territories, universities and local governments in implementing the Foreign Arrangements Scheme.” China hits back at Australia China quickly hit back at Australia over what it called an “unreasonable and provocative move”. In a statement, a Chinese Embassy spokesman slammed the decision which is expected to plunge the fractured relationship into greater acrimony. “We express our strong displeasure and resolute opposition to the Australian Foreign Minister’s announcement on April 21 to cancel the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation within the Framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and the related Framework Agreement between the Chinese side and Government of Victoria,” the spokesman said. “This is another unreasonable and provocative move taken by the Australian side against China. It further shows that the Australian government has no sincerity in improving China-Australia relations. It is bound to bring further damage to bilateral relations, and will only end up hurting itself.” A formal agreement has been cancelled so easily. Australians, is your country a uncivilized rogue that deserves stern admonition and punishment? “The BRI co-operation between China and the Victoria state is conducive to deepening economic and trade relations between the two sides, and will promote economic growth and the wellbeing of the people of Victoria,” the spokesman said. Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Ann Payne said the arrangements were ‘inconsistent with Australia’s foreign policy’. The declaration is likely to deliver the biggest flashpoint to China-Australian relations since a bitter war of words broke out last year over a fake image showing an Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of an Afghan child in reference to war crimes allegations against SAS troops. Hours after the announcement, China posted its first reply through its mouthpiece, The Global Times, saying it “resolutely opposes” the move. Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin wrote on Twitter: “A formal agreement has been cancelled so easily. Australians, is your country a uncivilised rogue that deserves stern admonition and punishment?” Chinese Embassy in #Australia said on Wed that it resolutely opposes Canberra's move to cancel a Belt and Road Initiative deal between Victoria and China, calling it another "unreasonable and provocative" move against #China that will hurt Australia itself.
I thought Chinese make the mirrors these days. They should use one and take a good look at themselves.
This one next to be scrapped hopefully, hahaha Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie on Port of Darwin, Belt and Road deal Outspoken Senator Jacqui Lambie is demanding that the Port of Darwin lease to a Chinese company come under the microscope, after Victoria’s controversial Belt and Road deal was scrapped.... She has also raised concerns about the 99-year lease on the Port of Darwin signed by the Chinese-owned Landbridge Group in 2015. “That should be torn up,” Senator Lambie said. “It’s about time we had a good look at that Port of Darwin because if anything goes on in the future … you can guarantee we are going to need to be operating from there. “We have a couple of thousand marines up there, the US is sitting up there, it is in our national interest to do something about that.” Liberal MP Dave Sharma said the Port of Darwin lease was different to the Belt and Road agreement but would fall under foreign investment review changes before the parliament. “The changes we have made to the act will allow for deals such as that one to be reviewed once that legislation is fully passed,” Mr Sharma said. “I think it needs some further scrutiny.”