China and Labor pash at conference

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Via New Daily:

China does not infiltrate other countries or seek to interfere in their internal politics, China’s ambassador to Australia says.

Cheng Jingye has told the Australia China Business Council that relations between the two countries can improve after rising tensions over alleged political interference.

“We have many shared interests. We both stand for free trade and open economy,” Mr Cheng said in a speech in Canberra on Tuesday.

“There is no reason for us not to develop a better relationship with each other.”

Tensions between the two countries rose last year when Australian security agencies warned of Chinese interference in Australia’s democracy.

Federal parliament is due to debate and pass several pieces of legislation this fortnight to crack down on such interference.

“China never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries, let alone carry out the so-called infiltration of other countries,” Mr Cheng said.

“Of course, the development of bilateral relations has not always been smooth. Sometimes there has been clouds, and even rain and wind.”

Mr Cheng said to improve relations, the two countries need to have more interaction and inclusiveness, with less “bias of bigotry” and “Cold War mentality”.

Former Victorian premier John Brumby, the council’s national president, told the conference the relationship needs a reboot.

“To put it bluntly, the relationship needs reset and repair,” he said.

Mr Brumby insisted repairing the relationship did not mean compromising Australia’s values or interests.

“Rather, it is about how to protect our national interest, which includes a positive relationship with China,” he said.

“There are extraordinary opportunities for Australian exporters as well as service providers, but we will need the relationship on a strong and positive footing if we are to maximise this potential.”

It has already compromised our values, John. Exhibit A: you.

What we need is less Chinese bribery.

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About the author
David Llewellyn-Smith is Chief Strategist at the MB Fund and MB Super. David is the founding publisher and editor of MacroBusiness and was the founding publisher and global economy editor of The Diplomat, the Asia Pacific’s leading geo-politics and economics portal. He is also a former gold trader and economic commentator at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, the ABC and Business Spectator. He is the co-author of The Great Crash of 2008 with Ross Garnaut and was the editor of the second Garnaut Climate Change Review.