A visiting United States admiral has warned China is willing to hurt Australian companies if the Federal Government defies the Chinese Communist Party.
The leader of the US military’s Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Philip Davidson, said Australia was right to be concerned about the possibility of a Chinese military base in the Pacific region, the ABC reports.
Addressing the Lowy Institute, Admiral Davidson used Australia as an example of China’s willingness to take retribution against economic partners that criticise Beijing.
“Beijing has shown a willingness to intervene in free markets and to hurt Australian companies simply because the Australian Government has exercised its sovereign right to protect its national security,” Admiral Davidson said.
He linked recent trade blockages at Chinese ports of Australian exports such as coal to Australia’s recent crackdown on foreign interference and a decision to ban Huawei from the 5G network.
“It speaks extraordinarily ill of China and serves as a warning to all nations of the kind of economic retribution they take when they dislike another nation’s diplomatic or security response,” he said.
Before and after: South China Sea
Admiral Davidson also described China’s signature international infrastructure development program, the “Belt and Road Initiative” as a “stalking horse to advance Chinese security concerns”.
“Beijing’s approach is pernicious. The party uses coercion, influence operations and military and diplomatic threats to bully other states to accommodate the Communist Party of China’s interests,” Admiral Davidson told his Sydney audience.
“Australia has [the] right to be very concerned about the Chinese potentially building a base in the island chain. Part of the Indo-Pacific strategy the US has put forward — and I believe Australia has made quite clear is in its national interest — is to prevent such bases from happening.”
