Australia's groundswell of bias counterproductive

That Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull labeled China a "frenemy" at an event last year was leaked by Australia's Fairfax Media on Friday shows some in Australia are intent on trying to disrupt the generally rosy picture of bilateral cooperation by continuing to whip up anti-China sentiment.

In the past few weeks, Australian media have used unfounded evidence and wild speculation to accuse China of trying to expand its political influence in Australia, trying to "instigate China panic" as Chinese Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye noted earlier last week.

Turnbull himself has joined the chorus of bias against China, and his speech addressing the Shangri-La Forum in Singapore early this month has been cited as proof he is adopting a tougher stance toward China.