Latest news with #Australia-China
Epoch Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Filmmaker Warns Australia on Importing ‘Communist Culture' Amid Push for Greater China Trade Ties
An award-winning filmmaker once jailed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has warned Australia against pushing hard for more trade opportunities with China without considering the negative consequences. Kay Rubacek is an Australian expat and author based in the New York area, and has spoken extensively on the human rights situation in China. On the 36th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre on June 4, an interview between Rubacek and ABC Radio Brisbane was released where she urged policymakers to consider the Australia-China trade relationship more holistically. 'We should look at not only importing goods. We're importing students. We're importing dollars that have political ties and expectations to reciprocate back with China. We are also importing a communist culture that we don't understand.' Rubacek said China was a 'very complex society.' 'It has 5,000 years of history, and it has this imposed ruling party that has taken over the entire nation, a one party state, and that is what's controlling the system,' she said. Related Stories 5/14/2025 5/19/2025 'It is not a rule of law, because everything falls under the Chinese Communist Party. There is a Constitution for the nation of China, but it is subject to the CCP.' (From right to left) Kay Rubacek, Chris Chappell, Sean Lin, and moderator Jenny Chang at the Wake Up to CCP Threat seminar in Middletown, N.Y. on Dec. 8, 2022. Cara Ding/The Epoch Times Australia Grapples With China Debate Her comments come after the recent Australian election saw One narrative that has circled for years is that Chinese-Australian voters will vote based on whichever party is more favourable towards ties with Beijing. In response, politicians from both sides of the aisle have limited their own rhetoric, despite well-publicised CCP infiltration efforts. The situation has led defence analyst Michael Shoebridge to warn Australia's public discourse on the matter had now been effectively hemmed in by Beijing's propaganda strategy. 'The issue of foreign interference became politicised for domestic reasons here in Australia, and lost its actual significance as a threat to our democracy,' he told 'Without focusing clearly on the Chinese government in this area of policy, Australian politicians play straight into CCP propagandists' hands, by allowing them to claim anyone who talks about Beijing's foreign interference activities as somehow biased against 1.2 million [ethnic Chinese] Australians.' Rubacek's comments about 'communist culture' also align with deeper issues with CCP indoctrination. 'Under the influence of party culture, people's minds, thoughts, and behaviours have undergone profound distortions. In many areas—such as society, family, education, work, and interpersonal relationships—they have deviated from the normal state of humanity,' according to 2006 Epoch Times editorial series, ' Some of the methods deployed by the CCP include removing content on traditional faiths like Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, and instead, implanting pro-CCP narratives into text books and media, even replacing everyday words with newly coined phrases that reflect communist ideology (akin to 1984's Newspeak). For example, mainland Chinese today will use the phrase 'working unit,' instead of 'company' or 'organisation.' A Life Impacted by Communism Rubacek's great-grandparents escaped Soviet Russia to China in the early 1920s. Her father then escaped communist China to Australia at the age of 14, right before the Cultural Revolution started. Born and raised in Sydney, Rubacek became active in human rights work related to China. In a still image from a video released by NTD, host Kay Rubacek, describes her excitement to see and touch a piece of the real Berlin Wall after learning that pieces of it are on display in public places in New York City on Oct. 12 2021 Oliver Trey/NTD In 2001, in her early 20s, she went to China to join a human rights appeal by Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a meditation practice rooted in the Buddhist tradition, with moral teachings centered on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Alarmed by its widespread popularity and independence from the communist regime's control, former CCP leader Jiang Zemin launched a nationwide persecution of the practice in 1999. Since then, Falun Gong practitioners in China have faced mass arrests, torture, forced labor, sexual abuse, and even forced organ harvesting, while globally the CCP leveraged its influence to silence debate on the topic. 'I just could not believe that a young woman would be thrown into a basement prison cell for holding the word 'compassion' in a public place, Tiananmen Square,' Rubacek said. The CCP authorities detained Rubacek for 23 hours before expelling her from China to avoid involving the Australian embassy. Having seen what was happening in China, Rubacek felt that she needed to try and bridge the gap between the cultures. 'What's happened in China, how it's changed under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, what my father lived through, how it's coming to modern day times, and how to help people in Australia and around the world understand that because it is so different to our experience,' she said. Since then, she has continued to work on the cause, producing multiple works, including the documentary Falun Gong practitioners from 12 countries peacefully appeal on Tiananmen Square in 2001 for an end to the persecution and torture of their Chinese counterparts. Rubacek said the U.S. government was now much firmer on the CCP. 'America is waking up to that, and I'm very pleased to see how they are bravely cutting ties, and they are no longer being bullied,' she said. 'It is vitally important that we understand who we are dealing with and what they expect from us and how they use us,' she concluded.
Sky News AU
7 days ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Two international relations experts weigh threat of China against Australia's 'confusing' ally as tensions rise in the Indo-Pacific
Two experts in the fields of defence, strategy and China have weighed the growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific and Australia's ties with a 'confusing antagonist' in the United States which could lead to 'significant harm' if a conflict with Taiwan eventuated. It came after Sky News' Sunday Agenda reported Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would not accept the US request to increase defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP and would stand by Labor's existing policy. Under the government's projections, defence spending is forecast to reach 2.33 per cent of GDP by 2033–34, up from about 2.05 per cent in 2025-26. Strategy and defence expert at the Australian National University Associate Professor, Andrew Carr, told the Trump Administration was good at 'talking tough' on China, but on several economic and security issues it did not show the 'discipline or resolve' to follow through. 'China will know that US administrations pleaded with and insisted that allies do more to help Washington. Thus far, it has almost entirely fallen on deaf ears,'he said. 'The Trump Administration is right to be outraged that rich nations in Europe and Asia cheap-ride on the back of US taxpayers and soldiers. The Trump Administration is trying a very different approach to changing that dynamic, but it's not clear it will be anymore successful.' Professor Carr said China's view of Taiwan was 'purely internal' and any Australian participation or support of American defence efforts, if China invaded, would lead to 'significant harm' to the Australia-China relationship. Some experts consider 2027 as the year China's President Xi Jinping expects his military to be ready for war with Taiwan. 'That said, in such a conflict it's likely Canberra would be the one rushing to impose penalties and sanctions as a way to diplomatically and economically punish China for its attack,' Professor Carr said. The strategy and defence expert said there was a 'clear escalation of tension' in the Indo-Pacific which had been steadily rising for more than a decade as China has poured money into its military. '(China) has aggressively challenged the legal claims of most of its neighbours, has spied on and tried to corruptly buy influence around the entire region, and used economic and diplomatic means to punish any who speak out,' Professor Carr said. The ANU professor said the Trump administration had been a 'somewhat confusing antagonist' as it has been very strident in rhetoric, such as US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth's speech, while being harmful in policy, such as the high tariffs and barriers to Chinese students in the US. 'So though the surface is choppy, some of the underlying currents are potentially much smoother,' he said. 'Trump talks a big game, but there's a reason the TACO nickname (Trump Always Chickens Out) is starting to catch on. Not just economically but strategically too.' Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore last week, Mr Hegseth warned the threat of China was real and potentially imminent as he pushed allies in the Indo-Pacific to spend more on their own defence needs. Mr Hegseth echoed the Trump administration's motto of maintaining 'peace through strength' and stressed the importance of restoring the 'warrior ethos'. China expert Dr Edward Chan, a postdoctoral fellow in China Studies at the Australian National University, told that while China had not 'explicitly' addressed the potential of Australia's participation in a US-led response to a cross-Strait conflict, it has expressed 'firm opposition' to broader trends in Australia's defence policy. 'Particularly in relation to its alignment with the US and its growing role in regional security arrangements,' Dr Chan said. 'For example, China has repeatedly criticised Australia's participation in the Quad and its commitment to AUKUS, arguing that such initiatives reflect a Cold War mentality and contribute to regional instability.' Dr Chan said such moves are claimed by Chinese officials to 'intensify the arms race'. The expert on China said among Chinese scholars there was a commonly used phrase that 'The United States has tied Australia to its chariot', which reflected the belief Canberra is being drawn into Washington's strategic agenda at the expense of regional stability. In terms of the next few years, and whether tensions in the Indo-Pacific would escalate, Dr Chan said a level of 'strategic unease has already become the new normal' as many governments have reassessed their security postures as they appear to prepare for contingencies, even in the hope of avoiding them. 'That said, putting on my academic hat, I would argue that a direct military conflict in the region—particularly over flashpoints like Taiwan or the South China Sea—remains highly unlikely in the near term. The risks and costs of war would be enormous for all sides involved,' Dr Chan said. 'However, we can expect persistent 'grey zone' activity to continue—what might be called the ashes of geopolitical friction. This includes freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs), increased coastguard and naval patrols, more frequent military exercises, strategic messaging, and tighter defence cooperation among like-minded countries. 'These activities are likely to become more routine.' contacted the Chinese Embassy and the Consulate on the matter, with both referring to the comments made by the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Mr Hegseth's Shangri-La speech. 'Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation, vilified China with defamatory allegations, and falsely called China a 'threat',' a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said over the weekend. 'The remarks were filled with provocations and intended to sow discord. China deplores and firmly opposes them and has protested strongly to the US. 'To perpetuate its hegemony and advance the so-called 'Indo-Pacific strategy,' the US has deployed offensive weaponry in the South China Sea and kept stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific, which are turning the region into a powder keg and making countries in the region deeply concerned.' As for the 'Taiwan question', the Foreign Ministry said it was entirely an 'internal affair', with no other country being in a position to 'interfere'. 'The US should never imagine it could use the Taiwan question as leverage against China. The US must never play with fire on this question,' the spokesperson said. 'China urges the US to fully respect the efforts of countries in the region to maintain peace and stability, stop deliberately destroying the peaceful and stable environment cherished by the region, and stop inciting conflict and confrontation and escalating tensions in the region.'
Miami Herald
26-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
China Warns US Ally Over Plan To Take Back Strategic Port
China has issued a warning over Australia's plan to strip a Chinese firm of its contentious 99-year lease of a port. Newsweek reached out to Landbridge Groups and the Chinese Foreign Ministry with emailed requests for comment outside of office hours. Shandong Province–headquartered Landbridge Group acquired Darwin Port, the most northerly port in Australia, in 2015 on a 99-year lease. The lease has raised national security concerns about foreign control of critical infrastructure by a company that-like all Chinese firms-is ultimately beholden to the government in Beijing. Critics have also cited the potential for espionage or the obstruction of expanding U.S. military operations in northern Australia in the event of a conflict with China. The port became a political flashpoint in the lead-up to Australia's May 3 federal election. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his Labor government would return it to a private Australian operator. Opposition leader Peter Dutton went further, pledging to put the port under government control while compensating Landbridge if no operator could be found within six months. Speaking with reporters last week, Chinese envoy to Australia Xiao Qian said Landbridge Group secured its lease through "an open and transparent bidding process, fully compliant with Australian laws and market principles," according to an embassy press statement released Sunday. The company has made "significant" investments in port operations and management, growing its customer base and contributing to local development, Xiao said, arguing it would be "ethically questionable" to lease out an unprofitable asset and take it back after it was made profitable. The diplomat urged Australia to "honor its binding commitment under the contract" and to ensure a "fair, transparent, and predictable business environment for Chinese enterprises operating in Australia." Australia-China relations have been strained in recent years. Thorny issues have included the Chinese military's increasingly assertive behavior and the suspended death sentence handed out to Australian writer Yang Hengjun for alleged espionage. In 2020 China also imposed restrictions on Australian goods, including wine and barley, following Canberra's call for an inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. These were later lifted in 2023 and in 2024 amid a relative diplomatic thaw. Tensions with Beijing are driving Australia to strengthen its military posture, including plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines in partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom under the AUKUS security pact. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told local media in April: "What we are doing is we will enter into negotiations. That is what we've been doing informally, through potential buyers up to this point already, and if it reaches a point where the Commonwealth needs to directly intervene, then we'd be prepared to do that." Terry O'Connor, non-executive director for Landbridge in Australia, previously told Newsweek: "Landbridge considers the [Darwin] Port a long-term investment that has grown significantly under Landbridge's ownership and has reported record operational performance this year. We expect this growth to continue in the future." It remains to be seen how the Chinese government will handle the ownership of Darwin Port after Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison announced plans to sell two ports at either end of the Panama Canal to a BlackRock-led consortium following pressure from the Trump administration. Related Articles Video Shows US Ally Resupplying Military Outpost in Disputed WatersUS Military Pullback in Africa Opens Door for China and RussiaChina Tests US Ally in Disputed WatersPhotos Show US and China's Aircraft Carriers Deployed to Pacific Waters 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
26-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
China Warns US Ally Over Plan To Take Back Strategic Port
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. China has issued a warning over Australia's plan to strip a Chinese firm of its contentious 99-year lease of a port. Newsweek reached out to Landbridge Groups and the Chinese Foreign Ministry with emailed requests for comment outside of office hours. Why It Matters Shandong Province–headquartered Landbridge Group acquired Darwin Port, the most northerly port in Australia, in 2015 on a 99-year lease. The lease has raised national security concerns about foreign control of critical infrastructure by a company that—like all Chinese firms—is ultimately beholden to the government in Beijing. Critics have also cited the potential for espionage or the obstruction of expanding U.S. military operations in northern Australia in the event of a conflict with China. A general view of the access entry to the Port of Darwin in Darwin, Australia, on April 8, 2025. A general view of the access entry to the Port of Darwin in Darwin, Australia, on April 8, To Know The port became a political flashpoint in the lead-up to Australia's May 3 federal election. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his Labor government would return it to a private Australian operator. Opposition leader Peter Dutton went further, pledging to put the port under government control while compensating Landbridge if no operator could be found within six months. Speaking with reporters last week, Chinese envoy to Australia Xiao Qian said Landbridge Group secured its lease through "an open and transparent bidding process, fully compliant with Australian laws and market principles," according to an embassy press statement released Sunday. The company has made "significant" investments in port operations and management, growing its customer base and contributing to local development, Xiao said, arguing it would be "ethically questionable" to lease out an unprofitable asset and take it back after it was made profitable. The diplomat urged Australia to "honor its binding commitment under the contract" and to ensure a "fair, transparent, and predictable business environment for Chinese enterprises operating in Australia." Australia-China relations have been strained in recent years. Thorny issues have included the Chinese military's increasingly assertive behavior and the suspended death sentence handed out to Australian writer Yang Hengjun for alleged espionage. In 2020 China also imposed restrictions on Australian goods, including wine and barley, following Canberra's call for an inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. These were later lifted in 2023 and in 2024 amid a relative diplomatic thaw. Tensions with Beijing are driving Australia to strengthen its military posture, including plans to acquire nuclear-powered submarines in partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom under the AUKUS security pact. What People Have Said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told local media in April: "What we are doing is we will enter into negotiations. That is what we've been doing informally, through potential buyers up to this point already, and if it reaches a point where the Commonwealth needs to directly intervene, then we'd be prepared to do that." Terry O'Connor, non-executive director for Landbridge in Australia, previously told Newsweek: "Landbridge considers the [Darwin] Port a long-term investment that has grown significantly under Landbridge's ownership and has reported record operational performance this year. We expect this growth to continue in the future." What's Next It remains to be seen how the Chinese government will handle the ownership of Darwin Port after Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison announced plans to sell two ports at either end of the Panama Canal to a BlackRock-led consortium following pressure from the Trump administration.
ABC News
04-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Liberal senator sparks backlash among Chinese Australian voters over 'spies' claim
Chinese Australians have pushed back strongly against the Liberal Party during Saturday's federal election, after a video clip emerged of Liberal senator Jane Hume referring to alleged "Chinese spies" volunteering for Labor candidate Clare O'Neil. The comment, aired on Channel 7's Sunrise program earlier this week, was widely shared on WeChat and RedNote, where Chinese voters responded with sarcasm and humour. Several popular clips subtitled in simplified Chinese and seen by ABC's Chinese service circulated with captions like, "I wore my best spy outfit to vote," and "Mission complete: Chinese spy out to vote the Liberal Party out of parliament." The backlash was especially evident in all electorates with large Chinese Australian communities — including Menzies, Bennelong, Reid and Chisholm — where voters swung significantly from the Liberal Party to Labor. Earlier this week, Labor candidate for Hotham Clare O'Neil publicly The head of the Hubei Association of Victoria, Ji Jianmin, which reportedly provided 10 volunteers for Ms O'Neil's election day stall, also rejected the suggestion that the group was politically influenced by Beijing. Former Liberal MP for Chisholm Gladys Liu told the ABC she felt "very disappointed" by Senator Hume's comment, and that she contacted Peter Dutton and the Coalition's campaign manager to request an apology to Chinese Australians. Gladys Liu was the first person of Chinese heritage to be elected to Australia's House of Representatives in 2019. ( ABC News: Luke Stephenson ) "I was very upset with Jane's claim," Ms Liu said. " It sounded like a joke in a TV interview, but it's very irresponsible and I was very disappointed. " She added the remarks were unhelpful in winning back seats with large Chinese Australian populations, and may have contributed to the larger margins against the Liberals. What Chinese Australians say about this election Han Yang said he was disappointed by Jane Hume's comments. ( Supplied: Han Yang ) Former Chinese diplomat Han Yang told the ABC that the viral "Chinese spies" video triggered large-scale resentment from the community. "The Liberal Party's claim of 'Chinese spies' in the final week triggered discomfort and resentment among some Chinese voters," he said. "Australia-China relations and unfair treatment of Chinese Australians are both key concerns for the community. "The Coalition shouldn't follow Trump's hardline policies — they should aim to win more support from centrist voters." Hao Luo considered the major parties' relations with China when casting his vote. ( Supplied: Hao Luo ) Hao Luo, president of Reid Business Community, said: "We want to be treated as Australians." "If politicians keep bringing up China as a scare tactic, it only makes us feel further away from the parties using those tactics." In Melbourne's eastern suburbs, Chinese Australians voiced frustration at the suggestion that their loyalty to Australia should be questioned during election campaigns. The Albanese government has moved to "stabilise" ties with China. ( Supplied: Prime Minister's Office ) Ms Yang, a Menzies voter, told the ABC it was painful to see Chinese people becoming a target again. "I found it a bit too much targeting Chinese Australians. There are over a million Chinese people in Australia," she said. "We are naturalised Australian citizens and have the same citizen rights and responsibilities. "If you only ask Chinese to show their loyalty, that's targeting." In Melbourne's eastern suburbs including Menzies, Labor is leading votes in the latest results. ( ABC News: David Sciasci ) Another 20-year-old Liberal voter in Menzies, who asked not to be named, said he "felt betrayed by the Liberal party". "I showed up to vote and joked with my friend about whether I'd be called a spy just for being Chinese. That's how ridiculous it's gotten." However, there are also voices supporting the Liberal Party, even though they disagreed with Senator Hume's comment. Ms Xia, a voter living in Kooyong who only gave her first name, told the ABC that the community should "be proud of this country". Despite disagreeing with Ms Hume's comments, voters like Ms Xia said they would still vote for the Liberal party. ( Supplied: Ms Xia ) Though she wasn't sure about the spy allegation, she said her support for the Liberal Party was partly due to her unease with what she described as "overly uniform voices" in the media. "If this country only has one voice, then it's not a democracy." Labor senator Penny Wong also criticised Senator Hume and Mr Dutton, calling the "Chinese spies" allegation part of a recurring pattern in Liberal campaigns. "A leopard cannot change his spots, after all," she said in Mandarin, referencing a well-known Chinese idiom. "We have seen this before from the Liberal Party. Why does the Liberal Party continue to question the loyalty of Chinese Australians?" Senator Wong said. "He doesn't care about the consequences for us, for our communities." Foreign Minister Penny Wong called out the Liberal Party's allegations about "spies" as fearmongering. ( ABC News: Lachlan Bennett ) Why did this election stir such strong sentiment? On Saturday night, Labor strengthened its position in all four key electorates with large Chinese Australian populations, while the number of MPs from Chinese backgrounds doubled to six. In Menzies, a former Liberal stronghold, Labor's Gabriele Ng won the seat, ending the party's decades-long hold. Chisholm, Bennelong and Reid were all retained by Labor with increased margins. Menzies was a closely watched vote in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. ( ABC News ) Dr Alfred Wang, a media and communications expert from the University of Melbourne, said the result reflected growing disengagement from the Liberal Party among Chinese Australian voters. He said the "spy" comment had a triggering effect on voters who remembered similar controversies from previous elections. Former Liberal MP Gladys Liu has asked for an apology. ( AAP: James Ross ) "People felt the Chinese community were singled out in every election and asked to pledge loyalty to Australia. That was never a request for another community," Dr Wang said. He noted that Senator Hume co-authored the Liberal Party's 2022 election review, which recommended more engagement with Chinese communities. "That's why I was shocked she was the person who said it," he said. "It's like the player puts the ball in his own goal at a critical time. "I think it might be more of a strategy, otherwise it's a bit unreasonable." Dr Wang said Chinese Australians were no longer satisfied with being passive participants in politics. "They are watching closely and voting based on how they're spoken to and treated," he said. "More representation means more accountability. Chinese Australians want to be part of the national conversation — not sidelined by suspicion." The ABC has contacted the Liberal Party and Senator Jane Hume for comment.
