‘Colonial-style arrogance’: China attacks Australia, New Zealand over Iran comments
China accused Australia and New Zealand of “colonial-style arrogance” and accused the two countries of overlooking the “root cause” of the war in the Middle East after a joint statement condemning Iran’s missile and drone attacks.
The statement issued Tuesday also condemned Beijing for “destabilizing activities” in the disputed South China Sea, its treatment of minority groups in Xinjiang and Tibet, and its suppression of freedoms in semi-autonomous Hong Kong.
In a retaliatory statement, China’s embassy in New Zealand accused Australia and its trans-Tasman neighbor of remaining silent on their own “poor record on human rights and ethnic minority issues”.
“Instead, it contains unwarranted, inappropriate and sweeping comments regarding China’s internal affairs,” the statement said.
“As a Chinese proverb says, before criticizing others, one should make sure that one’s own behavior is impeccable. In other words, it is important to reflect on one’s own actions before judging.
“Chapters on China’s internal affairs are marked by bias, misinformation, and inexplicable colonial-style arrogance that reflect hypocrisy and double standards on global peace, stability, and the welfare of people around the world.”
He continued: “The international community and its own people are well positioned to make a fair judgment on the treatment of indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities in countries that have made false accusations against China.”
The Chinese mission accused Australia and New Zealand of ignoring “blatant violations of international law and basic norms governing international relations” during the Iran War; this “led to civilian casualties and disruptions to the global economy”.
The statement reiterated China’s controversial claims regarding Xinjiang, where it is accused of imprisoning Muslim Uyghur people, Hong Kong and self-ruled Taiwan.
“Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and lies at the very center of China’s core interests, and this red line should not be crossed or challenged in any way,” the statement said.
He went on to claim that “the situation in the East and South China Seas is stable.”
While New Zealand was called on to “have a clear view of the current situation”, the statement stated that China was “determined to develop friendly and cooperative relations with all countries, including New Zealand”.
Chinese foreign policy was marked in the late 2010s by so-called wolf warrior diplomacy, in which ambassadors often use strong rhetoric to attack foreign governments for criticism of Chinese policies.
