Australia takes a diplomatic misstep

It is a pity that Australia's diplomacy is still based on ideology and focused on the US even after decades of cooperation and commercial exchanges with China. That Canberra is biased against Beijing was evident when reports by Fairfax Media and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation were used to whip up anti-China backlash in June, which, in a way, culminated on Tuesday with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull explaining the need to ban foreign interference in domestic politics on "disturbing reports about Chinese influence".

The media organizations have used unsupported claims as facts in their reports to accuse China of prompting Australian businesspeople of Chinese origin to donate funds to Australian political parties in order to influence the country's political system.

Before that, the Australian government issued the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper on Nov 23, emphasizing the importance of consolidating its alliance with the United States, and embracing the "Indo-Pacific" project and West-led world order.