I know that I have given our Stan a fearful pounding in the recent past. And I pretty much disagree with every notion he has about Australia’s relationships with the US and China. But today it’s time to sing Stan’s praises for having the cojonies to launch the ABC’s News new program China Tonight.
This is what it is all about. Sticking it right to the man. In this case, you may or may not agree that Stan’s man needed a good prod, but I’m bloody glad that he’s around to do it. All praise freedom of speech.
Stan interviewed the Chinese embassy’s deputy wolf warrior and two things struck me.
Stan was good. He stuck it to the man.
Second, the man was awfully soft. Gone were the self-aggrandised guffaws of bilious propaganda. Instead, he was reasoned and, dare I say it, warm. He clearly wanted to be friends.
Which raised the hackles a bit as I sat in the warm depression of my lockdown chair. “A bit late, for that”, I thought.
Then I remembered something I saw on Bloomie today: China is hosing off its wolf warrior corp:
President Xi Jinping urged Chinese officials to create a “trustworthy, lovable and respectable” image for the country, in a sign that Beijing may be looking to smooth its hard-edged diplomatic approach.
Accidentally launched in Australia by Stan Grant!?
Which, may I say loud and clear, is not to imply that there is any connection between the production of China Tonight and the Communist Party of China.
But sheesh, bad timing!
Spare a thought, then, for Anthony Albanese. He also put his hand up to accidentally launch the new Bejing directive on national communications:
Anthony Albanese will warn miners the Morrison government is threatening their exports with its inflammatory rhetoric towards China which, he says, is motivated by domestic political considerations.
In a speech to be delivered to the minerals industry in Canberra on Wednesday, the Labor leader will build on comments made two weeks ago by opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong in which she accused the government of encouraging anxiety about war with China for domestic political gain.
A bullseye for Beijing.
