Canberra: – Australia has jolted the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Project. The Victoria State in Australia had signed an agreement with China for the development of infrastructural facilities. The Australian central government has cancelled this agreement. Foreign Minister Marise Payne announced the cancellation of the contract giving the reason that the deal is not consistent with the Australian foreign policy. The reaction has been received from China regarding the announcement, warning that this Australian decision will further fester the relations between Australia and China.
Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, has started a spate of decisions against China. China has systematically increased its influence in Australia. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was forced to adopt this aggressive policy against China to end this political and economical Chinese influence. China, upset with this, has taken decisions to jolt Australia on the economic level. China, a huge buyer of Australian Coal and Barley banned the imports of these products. Whereas, Australia is jolting the Chinese ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region by increasing cooperation with India, the United States and Japan in the sector.
For the last few months, it is evident that China and Australia are continuing with the spate of decisions to jolt each other. Four months ago, Prime Minister Scott Morrison got the Australian parliament to pass the bill, giving powers to the central government to cancel agreements signed by the state administrations with other countries. Using the powers awarded by this bill, the Australian government cancelled the agreement for the development of infrastructural facilities between the administration of Victoria State and China. The Australian government has also scrapped the agreements signed by Victoria State with Iran and Syria.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said that the agreement signed by Victoria State is not consistent with the Australian foreign policy. While the Australia-China relations are strained since the last few months, this action delivers a message that the Australian states cannot sign agreements with China. The Chinese embassy criticised that with this decision, the Australian government has delivered a message that it is not interested in improving ties with China. The reaction of the Chinese embassy also indicates that there will be retaliation from China on the decision.
Not only Australia, even other leading countries have started looking at the Chinese BRI project with suspicion. It is being accused that China is trying to increase its political and economic influence under the disguise of infrastructure development. China is systematically taking control of the wealth and the natural resources of these poor and underdeveloped countries. At the same time, China is trying to brighten its image by undertaking infrastructure projects in the developed countries. The United States has started preparations to create an alternative for the Chinese BRI project. It is said that discussions have been held between the US President and the British Prime Minister regarding this. It has already been exposed that India and Japan also are collaborating to overcome the challenges posed by the Chinese BRI. Now, even Australia has jolted China by expelling Chinese BRI from the Australian states.
Related posts:
Chinese debt is a major risk to our economy, warns RBA governor Philip Lowe
Australia takes action against Chinese company, Huawei, claiming a security threat
In view of the Chinese activities in the Pacific Ocean, Australia to buy 12 submarines from France, agreement worth $35 billion signed
China trying to pressurise Australia and New Zealand over the action against Huawei
The United States rebukes China after the cyberattack in Australia
New bill gets introduced in the Australian parliament to stop the Chinese Belt and Road alongside other projects
Will file complaint with WTO if China continues to impose restrictions on Australian imports
Australia is taking revenge against China, accuses Chinese mouthpiece
