Australia's New Masters

China Bullied Australia Into Ejecting Taiwan: Next Time Show China The Door
By Anders Corr

On May 1, according to participants at a diplomatic event in Australia, Chinese representatives acted rudely until the Australian host, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, acquiesced to China’s demand and ejected the Taiwan representatives. 

The Chinese participants took the microphone and shouted down the Chair of the meeting, forcing a suspension of at least two proceedings, including the introduction of Ms. Bishop and an indigenous welcoming ceremony.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 21: (L-R) Australian Attorney General George Brandis, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, Central Commission on Political and Legal Affairs, Secretary Meng Jianzhu and Secretary-General of the Central Commission on Political and Legal Affairs Wang Yongqing pose at the inaugural Australia-China High-level Security Dialogue at Shangri-La Hotel on April 21, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. It is the first time representatives from the two countries have met for high-level security talks. 

“It was disgusting,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted a high-level Australian attendee as saying. “It was extraordinary, so uncalled for and so inappropriate, and so disrespectful." 

Another session with mining executives was abandoned because of African-country disruptions in support of the Chinese position. 

China, which funds African development and purchases extensive raw materials from the continent, has a lot of economic influence there that it uses for diplomatic support at places like the U.N. and elsewhere. 

The same applies to Australia. 

China is Australia’s biggest export market, accounting for 27.5% of all goods and services exported ($85.9 billion AUD in 2015-2016). 

By comparison, Australia’s exports to Taiwan during the same period were only $6.5 billion AUD.
The annual meeting was on the diamond trade, and the shouting started at a welcome ceremony of traditional music for Australia’s Foreign Minister. 

Participants described the Chinese actions as “disgusting” and “extraordinary”. 

They resulted, after stalling the meeting with backroom discussions between China and Australia, in the hosts ejecting the Taiwan delegation. 

Since 2007, democratic Taiwan has taken part as an observer in these meetings, meant to decrease trade in conflict diamonds.
Note that the meeting included mining executives, and their portion of the meeting was canceled when China and its African allies caused the second ruckus. 

These mining executives are hoping to sell coal and other minerals to China at favorable prices, and they were likely seeking the Australian foreign minister's assistance, including at this meeting. 

Ms. Bishop’s priority at the meeting appears to have been exports rather than conflict diamonds and other human rights issues. 

Perhaps Australia’s mining companies will reward her with a position as CEO or on the board of directors when she leaves office. 

Watch for it. 

Voters should not reward her with future positions in government.
It is a crass caving to China’s economic power, rather than standing for principle, that causes diplomats to subjugate themselves to China’s authoritarian demands while not only looking the other way, but participating in China’s rudeness to a fellow democratic country. 

China thereby erodes democratic freedoms and principles, through divide and conquer tactics, both at home and abroad. 

By participating in this subversion of democracy, we are culpable and responsible for the destruction of principles upon which our democracies are founded.
Next time this happens, Australian voters who care about democracy and human rights should insist that China, not Taiwan, be shown the door. 

According to officials I have heard from, this has happened in the past when they refuse to bow to China on Taiwan’s participation. 

As a result, China leaves the meeting. 

Good riddance. 

In fact, China and its disruptive friends should not be invited to the next meeting.
Why are we compromising our democratic principles in the first place? 

For exports, trade and investment deals? 

Mining of coal and other minerals that lead to global warming? 

We need to get our priorities straight before China leads the world with its heavy hand toward ever-worsening autocracy, human rights abuse and global warming. 

Through inaction, this generation can cause enough slippage to ruin things for the next generation. 

We need to get smarter faster.