OPINION: America and Australia Must Ally on Immigration Restriction to Contain China
Jose Nino
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The U.S. and Australia have had strong diplomatic relations for decades. Given their linguistic commonalities and Anglo-Saxon background such an alliance is only natural.
For 75 years, Australia has had diplomatic relations with the U.S. Additionally, the two countries have 100 Years of Mateship (Friendship) and have fought together in all of the U.S.’s major military conflicts.
Fast forward to 2020, the alliance is not only intact, but it could be strengthened even further in the wake of the Wuhan virus outbreak. The Communist Party of China (CPC) recently threatened to economically undermine Australia’s economy over the current government’s calls for a probe into the Chinese government’s handling of the Wuhan virus outbreak.
Sky News Australia reported that China threatened to block imports of Australian goods and prevent Chinese citizens from traveling to the country. “Ambassador Cheng Jingye on Monday said the push was ‘dangerous’ and could encourage Chinese citizens to not purchase Australian exports or travel to the nation,” Sky News reported. The Australian government views the Chinese government’s threats as an attack on their economy.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne criticized Cheng Jingye’s comments as an “economic hit.” The government however is not backing down from the call for an independent inquiry, with Foreign Minister Marise Payne criticizing the threat of an economic hit due to the push,” Sky added.
Ambassador Cheng Jingye claims that pushing for a probe would “encourage” China to not do business with Australia.
According to Sky News Australia reporter Tom Connell, Australian politicians are united in their push for a “global independent” investigation into the Wuhan virus.
The Chinese Ambassador to Australia actually conceded that China’s response to the pandemic has not been “perfect.” When asked about the matter of Australia taking sides with the U.S. on wanting to launch a probe into China, Cheng declared, “It’s a kind of pandering to the assertions that are made by some forces in Washington.”
“Over a certain period of time, some guys are attempting to blame China for their problems and deflect the attention.” Cheng added. “So what is being done by the Australia side? The proposition is a kind of teaming up with those forces in Washington and to launch a kind of political campaign against China.”
“The Chinese public is frustrated, dismayed, and disappointed with what Australia is doing now,” Cheng noted.
“I think in the long term… if the mood is going from bad to worse, people would think ‘Why should we go to such a country that is not so friendly to China?’ “The tourists may have second thoughts”, Cheng also remarked.
Neon Nettle recently reported that a Chinese-owned food company recently started to shut down slaughterhouses and processing plants across America, which has placed the U.S.’s meat supply in a considerable predicament.
America’s meat supply is on the ropes because workers at facilities have caught the Wuhan virus, which has led to closures all over the nation.
Neon Nettle highlighted the gravity of the situation:
Perhaps the most alarming fact to emerge from the news is that the largest provider of pork in the U.S. is owned by a corporation based in China. Popular meat brands Nathan’s Famous, Farmland, Eckrich, Armour, and Healthy Ones, to name a few, all fall under the umbrella of Smithfield Foods – the largest producer of pork products in the United States.
China poses a unique challenge to the free countries of the West.
The U.S. should strongly consider immigration policies that restrict Chinese nationals’ movement into the country.
Similarly, it should recommend the same to Australia which has both significant Chinese investment in the country and a large presence of Chinese nationals within the country.
Immigration restriction is a reasonable soft power approach to handling China.
China’s authoritarian legacy continues to live on. Even in its relatively re-branded state, the country poses a unique challenge to the West.
The Anglosphere can get the China question right by restricting Chinese migration altogether.
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