The meeting between Australia’s new foreign minister, Marise Payne, and her Chinese counterpart in Beijing in early November was the first significant high-level bilateral contact for months. Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit to Australia in late 2014 may have asked that the country use imagination and boldness in envisaging the future of its relationship with its vast northern neighbour. But he probably wasn’t expecting the response he got, with a number of high-profile moves over the following years to limit what is perceived to be China’s influence in Australia’s business and politics.
Huawei has remained largely blocked in the country; the attempt to have a consortium which would involve China’s State Grid power company was stopped – ironically by the current Prime Minister Scott Morrison while he was Treasurer. And members of parliament were accused of accepting gifts and largesse from Chinese entities in return for asking loaded, supportive questions on Beijing’s behalf in Canberra.
Huawei has remained largely blocked in the country; the attempt to have a consortium which would involve China’s State Grid power company was stopped – ironically by the current Prime Minister Scott Morrison while he was Treasurer. And members of parliament were accused of accepting gifts and largesse from Chinese entities in return for asking loaded, supportive questions on Beijing’s behalf in Canberra.
