CANBERRA, May 14 (Xinhua) -- A leading expert of strategic studies in Australia warned the country not to allow its China policy to be dictated by Washington.
In an opinion piece published by the Australian Financial Review recently, Hugh White, professor of strategic studies at the Australian National University, said that there are three lessons for Australia to learn from its further strained relationship with China.
He said that Australia should not "needlessly antagonize China," especially when cooperation is needed, should "not allow our policy on China to be dictated from Washington," and should "wake up to the new realities of power in Asia and learn how to navigate them."
Australia's relationship with China has soured recently, after the federal government headed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison demanded a coronavirus inquiry.
White noted that the Australian government framed its call for an independent inquiry into the origin of COVID-19 as "an investigation of Beijing's culpability for the outbreak," which was a mistake.
"The most likely explanation is that he (Morrison) did it to please Washington," said the professor. "The Trump administration is plainly determined to talk up China's responsibility for the pandemic, both to deflect domestic criticism of its own woeful and at times farcical mismanagement of the crisis, and to score points against Beijing in their escalating geopolitical contest for influence in Asia and globally."
"It is easy to imagine the White House urging Canberra to help out by joining their chorus of accusations against Beijing," he said.
White said that as the risk of a catastrophic U.S.-China conflict increases, "Washington shares the blame for this, and so do we if we encourage them and echo their messages." Enditem
