Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison denounced on Monday (November 23rd) the growing pressure from China on his country, saying that it is causing
“an unnecessary deterioration of relations”
between Beijing and Canberra.
In an online speech to a UK think tank, Scott Morrison underscored Australia's desire for
"mutually beneficial" relations
with Beijing as well as the United States while pursuing its own interests regardless of of them.
He also rejected the image of Australia as the
“doggie”
of the United States in a context of deteriorating Sino-American relations.
Read also: Divorce is consumed between China and Australia
In recent months, the relationship between Canberra and Beijing has grown strained.
Australia has notably excluded the Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from the deployment of the 5G network on the huge island continent and has requested an independent investigation into the origin of the coronavirus.
China, Australia's largest trading partner, recently retaliated against Canberra, suspending imports of a large number of agricultural products including beef, barley and timber.
According to Scott Morrison, this coercive diplomacy is only
"a taste"
of what other countries - including Europeans - could suffer in the future.
Alluding to the future administration of US President-elect Joe Biden, the prime minister insisted that countries like Australia should not be forced to choose sides between Washington and Beijing.
“Greater latitude will be needed on the part of the world's greatest powers to satisfy the individual interests of their partners and allies.
We all need a little more room to move, ”
Scott Morrison said in his remarks at UK center-right think tank Policy Exchange.
“There has to be a more nuanced appreciation of the interests of different states in the way they deal with the great powers. Hard choices are in no one's best interests
,
”
added the Australian Prime Minister.
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