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Australia says China travel warning 'unhelpful' amid escalating diplomatic row - ABC News

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Australia says China travel warning 'unhelpful' amid escalating diplomatic rowShareTrade and Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham has labelled China's warning against its citizens visiting Australia "unhelpful", as Chinese state media said the warning was issued in response to Australia's "anti-China" policies.Senator Birmingham told RN on Monday that he accepted Asian-Australians had faced incidents of racism since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but rejected the idea that Australia was unsafe for foreign tourists.On Saturday, the , citing a "significant increase" in racist attacks on "Chinese and Asian people"."Australia's a country where our leaders and our communities condemn racism and where we have very clear processes in place if violent attacks occur for people to report them," Senator Birmingham said."But I think the idea that Australia, in any way, is an unsafe destination for visitors to come to is one that just does not stand up to scrutiny."An editorial published by the Global Times, a Communist Party mouthpiece, warned the travel ban "may just be the tip of the iceberg". "If Australia wants to retain the gain from its economic ties with China, it must make a real change to its current stance on China, or it will completely lose the benefits of Chinese consumers," it wrote."The tourism loss may be just a tip of iceberg in its loss of Chinese interest."Another article attributed the travel warning to "Australian animosity" and "rocky bilateral ties", quoting analysts as saying that the official warning was "reasonable" given "abundant evidence" of racist acts."Australia should have considered the costs when introducing anti-China policies earlier," it said."Australia has become a close collaborator of the US in its anti-China strategy at the expense of China-Australia relations," the Global Times paraphrased Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University in Shanghai, as saying.It cited "smearing China over the COVID-19 pandemic" and other "unwelcoming moves" including and restricting Chinese investment in Australia.Delia Lin, a senior lecturer from the Asia Institute at the University of Melbourne, told the ABC the travel warning was "not about genuine concern over racist attacks or genuine concern over the safety of Chinese citizens"."If you look at it from a practical perspective, this travel warning is pretty meaningless because nobody can really travel at the moment," she said."It's intended to damage the image of Australia."Beijing's announcement of the travel warning came&nbsp;after &nbsp;and banned imports from&nbsp;, decisions widely seen to be&nbsp;. China criticised the and has previously taken issue with Australia's criticism of Beijing Jane Golley, director of the Australian Centre on China in the World at The Australian National University, said that Australia's relations with China had been deteriorating since at least 2017."I think we've started treating them as an adversary in general, while still trying to maintain that they're an important trading and investment partner for us," she told the ABC."And they're offended by our treatment of them."Asked by RN whether he believed China was attempting to do diplomatic damage to Australia with the travel warning, Senator Birmingham said it was unclear."It's difficult for me to try to ascribe motivations to other countries; this is an unhelpful statement, no doubt about that," he said., with some 1.4 million Chinese short-term visitors arriving in Australia in 2019."This is a bullying tactic," said Dr Lin of the Asia Institute. "China doesn't see it as bullying, they say it as a way of showing strength."Senator Birmingham says Australia's embrace of multiculturalism stood out in the world."That's what frustrates me and disappoints me in relation to China's statement," he said."In relative terms, there is no doubt Australia is one of the most inclusive countries, one of the most tolerant countries."Mr Birmingham has tried to speak about ongoing diplomatic tensions with his Chinese counterpart over recent weeks, but he said he was yet to hear back from Commerce Minister Zhong Shan.Mr Zhong has blaming Australia for the trade tensions.China has "become very adept at using economic tools to send geopolitical messages," Professor Golley said.Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack earlier rejected the suggestion there had been an increase in racist attacks in Australia."There hasn't been a wave of outbreaks of violence against Chinese people," he said."I don't know why this has been stated, I don't know what was in the thinking of the organisation or the person who made the statement, all I can say is the statement is not true," he said.However, across Australia amid the pandemic.In March, at a local supermarket.In April, two Melbourne University students were allegedly verbally abused and physically assaulted after a pair of women screamed "coronavirus" at them and told them to get out of the country.And in the same month, , including wilful damage, public nuisance, robberies and assaults.In March, a Bundaberg teenager was charged for assaulting a 27-year-old South Korean backpacker and accusing her of bringing the coronavirus to Australia.The 15-year-old was&nbsp;charged with&nbsp;assault occasioning bodily harm while armed, assault occasioning bodily harm, common assault and stealing.&nbsp;The matter has been finalised.Asian migrants have also reported , and high-profile acts of vandalism including&nbsp;."Do I think [China is] genuinely concerned about the health and welfare of their citizens? Absolutely," Professor Golley said."We've seen that through COVID-19, with their embassy focusing mainly on the health and wellbeing of their own citizens."But it is convenient for them that they can then harness this to send a political message."Some members of Australia's Chinese diaspora have During the coronavirus pandemic, A number of African Governments recently expressed concern over including having their passports seized, and forced quarantining and evictions.8 Jun 20208 Jun 2020Mon 8 Jun 2020 at 5:12am, 8 Jun 20208 Jun 2020Mon 8 Jun 2020 at 7:05amMore on:

Australia says China travel warning 'unhelpful' amid escalating diplomatic rowShareTrade and Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham has labelled China's warning against its citizens visiting Australia "unhelpful", as Chinese state media said the warning was issued in response to Australia's "anti-China" policies.Senator Birmingham told RN on Monday that he accepted Asian-Australians had faced incidents of racism since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but rejected the idea that Australia was unsafe for foreign tourists.On Saturday, the , citing a "significant increase" in racist attacks on "Chinese...

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Australia says China travel warning 'unhelpful' amid escalating diplomatic row - ABC News

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