Letters | China-Australia relations: Canberra should not be surprised that Beijing is also playing hardball

China’s decision to suspend high-level economic dialogue comes after Australia’s federal government revoked Victoria state’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative

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A woman walks by the Australian embassy in Beijing in January 2019. Citing Australian measures that “disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia”, Beijing said last week it was indefinitely suspending high-level economic dialogue with Canberra. Photo: AP

Published: 10:18am, 18 May 2021Updated: 10:31am, 18 May 2021

The Australian government’s reaction to China’s decision to indefinitely suspend high-level economic dialogue with Australia reflects Canberra’s naivety in biting the hand of the country that has played a significant part in Australia’s economic boom.

The latest development is seemingly a reaction to Australia’s federal government revoking the state of Victoria’s participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. One wonders why Australia is feeling aggrieved?

It is time for Australia to understand there is more to foreign diplomacy than “G’day”.

Mark Peaker, The Peak

Canberra’s the one beating the war drums

I wish Australia’s defence personnel would stop beating the war drums by accusing others of doing so (“We can’t discount conflict with China over Taiwan, says Australian defence minister”, April 25). Such an alarmist attitude is very unnecessary. China has no inclination to or history of colonising, bullying or subverting other nations. The same cannot be said of some nations that are now beating the war drums in the name of peace and democracy.