AFTER Kevin Rudd, Australia’s Mandarin-speaking prime minister, came to power in late 2007 the country’s relations with China seemed set to take an upward turn. But the much-anticipated love-in has failed to happen. On Tuesday August 18th Australia’s government announced that China had cancelled a visit by He Yafei, a foreign-affairs minister, earlier this month. He had been invited to a summit of Pacific island leaders in north Queensland, at which Mr Rudd hoped to discuss his plan for a new Asia-Pacific regional body involving China. Instead China sent a lowlier official.
The snub was the latest setback in a relationship undergoing strains on several fronts. Stephen Smith, Australia’s foreign minister, talked of “managing difficulties in the relationship we have with China”. Those difficulties increasingly involve a clash between Australia’s commercial relations with its biggest trading partner, and China’s unhappiness with Canberra’s political stance, especially over human rights.
Australia depends on China to export their raw minerals, and when China flexes their muscle, the whole country is in deep shit...what a weak government, what a joke..
The snub was the latest setback in a relationship undergoing strains on several fronts. Stephen Smith, Australia’s foreign minister, talked of “managing difficulties in the relationship we have with China”. Those difficulties increasingly involve a clash between Australia’s commercial relations with its biggest trading partner, and China’s unhappiness with Canberra’s political stance, especially over human rights.
Australia depends on China to export their raw minerals, and when China flexes their muscle, the whole country is in deep shit...what a weak government, what a joke..
