Labor MP blames Australia for tensions with China amid Covid

In a recent discussion on the ABC program Q+A, Jason Yat-Sen Li, a Labor MP in New South Wales, commented on the deteriorating relationship between Australia and China, particularly during the era of Scott Morrison's government. Li noted the difficulties faced by Chinese Australians during this period, suggesting that racism was exacerbated by the government's stance towards China, particularly during the Covid pandemic. Critics argue his remarks overlook important historical context, including the Chinese government's aggressive demands on Australia and the various incidents that deteriorated diplomatic relations. The relationship began to fray in 2017, primarily due to concerns over foreign interference and allegations of cyber-attacks linked to China. The Coalition government emphasized these threats, leading to a series of diplomatic rifts, including a ban on Chinese telecom giant Huawei from Australia's 5G network. This tension was further fueled by negative reports published in Australian media and actions perceived as anti-China by the Morrison administration. In 2020, the Chinese Embassy issued a list of '14 Demands' which included calls for Australia to restrain negative media coverage of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and to shut down independent think tanks critical of the Chinese government. The political climate intensified with calls for an inquiry into the origins of Covid-19, which added to the strain in relations, resulting in trade sanctions on Australian goods by China. However, the change in leadership under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appears to be fostering a thaw in relations, with recent steps taken to establish trade deals involving exports like lobster and barley. Li's comments, therefore, have drawn significant criticism for seemingly rewriting the narrative of Australia's diplomatic missteps, framing them primarily as the result of the Coalition's undiplomatic behavior while neglecting the series of actions taken by China that contributed to the decline in bilateral relations. As a Chinese Australian, Li expressed concern over revisiting a time of hostility towards the Chinese community in Australia, saying he does not want to return to those 'dark days' of racism and vilification during the Covid crisis. Moving forward under the current government, there is cautious optimism regarding the engagement and cooperation between Australia and China, particularly in trade and diplomatic discussions.