Former Australian PM urges nation to not give in to China's pressure as tensions soar

Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has urged the island nation to not give in to the pressure by China and “stand your ground”. The ex-Australian PM wants Canberra to keep its stance on controversial issues with China undeterred as Beijing continues to apply trade actions to Australian exports including informal bans or import duties that target products such as coal, cotton, and timber to wine, lobster and beef, as reported by South China Morning Post. Turnbull recalled his own experience in dealing with China in 2017 and 2018 when Australia “struck” to its position.

The former Australian PM said that once China understood that the island nation was not giving in to the pressure, “it dropped off”. During his tenure as the Australian leader, china has lashed out on Australia for siding with the decision of the international tribunal that Beijing had no historic claim to the disputed South China Sea islands. Moreover, even Canberra banning China’s telecom company Huawei Technologies Co and ZTE from its 5G network was seen among other policies were seen as targetting China’s influence. 

"I went through an episode precisely like this in 2017 and 2018. And we stuck to our position, we didn't succumb to the pressure. And once it was apparent in Beijing that the pressure was not producing the result they wanted, it dropped off. So I think you just have to stand your ground," Turnbull as quoted by ANI

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China says Australia should know how to 'establish healthy relationship'

Meanwhile, as China-Australia tensions soar, Beijing has said that Canberra should know what it needs to do to improve the relationship between both countries. According to the South China Morning Post, Chinese commerce minister Li Chengganga stated that Beijing has always upheld a pragmatic attitude when it comes to dealing with its trade partners, it is the Australian side, he said, which should know better what it needs to do in improving the ties. 

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Australia has in the recent past taken a stern position on issues concerning Beijing, island nation's largest trading partner. The strenuous change in Canberra's stance has been triggered over a range of issues such as China's alleged interference in Australia's domestic affairs, the COVID-19 pandemic, the dispute in the Indo-Pacific region. 

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