The rapidly declining relations between Australia and China

 China Trolls Australia With "Repugnant" Doctored Image, Refuses To Apologize

Zero Hedge,

30 November, 2020

The developing China-Australia trade row which initially sprang out of Australia's joining other countries in criticizing Beijing's handling of the coronavirus crisis has just taken a bizarre and sinister turn.

It started early Monday when China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian posted a disturbing image to Twitter depicting an Aussie soldier about to slit the throat of a child in Afghanistan. The grinning soldier is depicted holding a bloody knife to the distressed child, who is seen holding a lamb, which is a symbol of innocence. 

Australian leaders and media were quick to point out it is a doctored or "fake" image and demanded that Lijian remove it immediately, and that Twitter take action over the account. 

"It is utterly outrageous and cannot be justified on any basis," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. "The Chinese government should be utterly ashamed of this post. It diminishes them in the world’s eyes."

Morrison and others demanded a formal apology out of China over the "repugnant" image and tweet. But China's foreign ministry refused calls to apologize, instead doubling down on its charge that Australia appears less ashamed over its egregious war crimes in Afghanistan and more concerned over public embarrassment based on a tweet.

It comes after earlier this month Australia was rocked by scandal when a detailed investigation known as the Brereton War Crimes report revealed that Aussie special forces were implicated in up to 39 or more "unlawful killings" of Afghan civilians and prisoners. At least 13 Australian soldiers are facing criminal charges after horrific details emerged that they were killing random civilians essentially for sport, in something they called "blooding" - or initiating a special forces new join into war by orchestrating their first kill and then covering it up.

Here's how China responded to the demands for an apology:

"It is the Australian government who should feel ashamed for their soldiers killing innocent Afghan civilians," said Hua Chunying, China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, when asked about Morrison’s comments.

The image posted by her colleague shows people’s "indignation," said Hua, speaking at a regular news conference in Beijing on Monday. Whether it will be taken down is a matter between Twitter and the Australian government, she said.

It is indeed clear that the tweet was meant to highlight the shocking history of well-documented war crimes by Australia in central Asia, and is the latest in Canberra being forced to play on the defensive with China, after major commodities exports earlier this month were blocked and/or were hit with huge tariffs by China.

Zhao had written on Twitter alongside the image: "Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts, & call for holding them accountable."

As of late in the day Monday (local time), the tweet is still up and has not been blocked or taken down by Twitter.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3112002/australian-researcher-hits-back-chinese-tabloid-over-xinjiang

Chinese propaganda

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Monday posted on Twitter a cartoon circulating on Chinese social media platforms condemning Australian troops' murder of 39 innocent Afghans. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison was very angry about it, accused Zhao of offending his country, and demanded an apology from China. 

I was really shocked and disgusted. How could this Australian PM be so ridiculously arrogant to pick on Chinese FM spokesperson's condemnation against the murder of innocent people? Is the murder fake news? Shouldn't that illustrator have made the cartoon? Didn't the Chinese FM spokesperson have the right to repost that cartoon to censure Australian troops' murder of innocent Afghan civilians? 

The Australian government's many moves have made Australia more and more like a rural-urban continuum in Western civilization, where rogues and outlaws run wild. Whenever the leader of the West is up to something bad, it just needs to come to this place and hire some hatchet men. Afghanistan is so far away from Australia geographically, but Australian soldiers have killed as many as 39 innocent people there. 

Morrison should kneel down on the ground, slap himself in the face, and kowtow to apologize to Afghans - all these should be done in a live telecast. No matter what harsh words people use on them for the murder, the Australian government should have accepted it. How dare they talk back and say they are offended!

The Morrison administration is the political hatchet man hired by the US akin to a mafia. There is no remedy in Western culture that could save them. They should be sent to the temples in Thailand, Myanmar or China's Zhoushan, get their hair shaved and chant scriptures, and be taught not to kill people first thing first. They should recite The Analects and be taught that one should not impose on others what he himself does not desire. Such an education of Eastern civilization is expected to heal their evil minds and murderous mentality.

Australian troops and fleets should leave Asia and the coastal waters of the Asian continent. More precisely, they should run as far as they can. The Morrison administration is making Australia provocative and wanting a spanking.  

The author is editor-in-chief of the Global Times. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1208525.shtml

The editor of China’s state-run English language newspaper, Hu Xijin, has posted an incendiary piece calling Prime Minister Scott Morrison “ridiculously arrogant” and saying he should “slap himself in the face” on live television.

The searing editorial comes after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian posted a doctored image on Twitter showing an Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of a young child holding a lamb.

“Don’t be afraid, we are coming to bring you peace,” the caption reads.

The image references the Brereton report that alleged elite Australian soldiers had carried out war crimes including the killings of 39 Afghans in a series of incidents that are being referred for special investigation and potential prosecution.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison reacted swiftly and unequivocally to the image being shared on social media, calling it “truly repugnant”, calling for an apology from the Chinese government and asking the social media giant to take it down.

“It is deeply offensive to every Australian, every Australian who has served in that uniform, every Australian who serves in that uniform today, everyone who has pulled on that uniform and served with Australians overseas from whatever nation, that they have done that. It is utterly outrageous and it cannot be justified on any basis whatsoever,” he said in a virtual press conference on Monday.

“The Chinese Government should be totally ashamed of this post. It diminishes them in the world’s eyes.”

https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/global-times-editorial-calls-prime-minister-scott-morrison-arrogant-for-demanding-apology-over-image/news-story/e30f4ac67170aa845e4dfef5ffefc514

https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/deeply-disturbing-shocking-australian-war-crime-allegations/news-story/7f51b6f0bb000f2e90248948451b5b32

Australia's winemakers are scrambling to find new buyers around the world after China imposed hefty tariffs on the industry, effectively cutting it off from its most important export market.

Beijing's decision last week to impose tariffs of up to 212% on Australian wine imports has endangered business with mainland China, according to Tony Battaglene, CEO of Australian Grape and Wine, a national association.

Battaglene works with around 800 wine producers in Australia who have "built their businesses" around exporting to China and are now left with no backup plan, he added.

"We were surprised, we were shocked," Battaglene told CNN Business. "Having the extent of these interim tariffs, I mean essentially they will close the market to Australian bottled wine, to premium wine, in China. There's no way that we can compete at those levels."

China's Commerce Ministry announced Friday that its decision was made after finding preliminary evidence of dumping. Australian officials have bitterly protested the move, saying that China has been unable to provide proof.

The wine war is taking place against the backdrop of a wider deterioration in relations. Australia has upset China this year by calling for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. Beijing later targeted Canberra over trade, namely by suspending some imports of beef and slapping heavy tariffs on barley.

The tariffs on wine, which took effect on Saturday, have forced businesses to scramble. After the announcement, some container ships that were en route to mainland China had to turn back to Australia, according to Battaglene.

"Orders are being canceled, orders are being suspended," he said. "No one's willing to ... take extra import duties just to get it through customs. Essentially the market will be closed to us."

On Monday, Australia's leading winemaker, Treasury Wine Estates (TSRYF) (TWE), announced a contingency plan. It said it would start redirecting its shipments away from China to other markets, such as the United States, Europe and other Asian countries, after finding out its products would be slapped with tariffs of 169.3%.

Some of the wine TWE is considering reallocating had already arrived at a port in Shanghai, according to CEO Tim Ford. "We will reassess [what to do with] that product," he said on an analyst call Monday.

"We are extremely disappointed to find our business, our partners' businesses and the Australian wine industry in this position," Ford added. "Our attention's very clearly on building our business outside of China over the next period of time."

The plan wasn't enough to reassure investors. TWE shares closed down 6.9% in Sydney on Monday, following an 11.3% drop on Friday, when the tariffs were announced.

China is by far the biggest importer of Australian wine, according to Wine Australia, a trade organization backed by the country's government. In the most recent financial year, which ended this September, mainland China alone made up 39% of Australia's total wine exports by value, the group said.

Going forward, more "Australian winemakers will now be forced to consider alternative markets for export sales," Australian Grape and Wine said in a statement.

On Monday, Ford called on the Australian government to help businesses find a solution.

"Left unresolved, there will be a significant impact," he said. "Things may change, and we'll deal with that as they change, but we're sort of dealing with the cards that we know at the moment, without a strategy of hope if you like. Because a strategy of hope is not a very smart strategy."

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/30/business/australia-china-wine-tariffs-intl-hnk/index.html

Paul Craig Roberts on SEAL Team 6 (2013)

 Obama's SEAL Team 6 Coverup - Explosive Paul Craig Roberts Interview

I remember bak in 2011 Mike Ruppert was adamant that Osama bin-Laden was not killed in Pakistan

https://www.globalresearch.ca/the-big-lie-obama-did-not-kill-bin-laden/5448927

High crimes from TWO administrations

Americans, learn the degree to which you have been betrayed.  

This is Hal Turner's version of a story from earlier today.

Whistleblower Drops HARD Evidence, Biden, Obama, 

Hillary EXECUTED Seal Team 6, Audio Proof

THE U.S. KNEW WHERE 

OSAMA BIN LADEN WAS 

BEFORE GOING TO WAR IN 

AFGHANISTAN TO "GET 

HIM" -- IT WAS THE U.S. 

THAT ARRANGED FOR HIM 

TO HIDE

Hal Turner,

13 October, 2020

Telephone call recordings between former Congressman Curt Weldon (D-PA), Attorney Brian Ettinger (Biden's Attorney), and Al Parrot of the Central Intelligence Agency prove conclusively that the United States knew Osama Bin Laden was being hidden inside Iran after the attacks of 9-11 . . . . because it was the U.S. itself that ARRANGED for Osama Bin Laden to hide there! 

---

The entire war in Afghanistan, launched to force Afghanistan to turn over Bin Laden, was a complete fraud because when it was launched, President George W. Bush and other high level officials in his Administration, such as CIA Director Leon Panetta, already knew Osama Bin Laden was in Iran.

This fraud was CONTINUED by the Obama Administration and a key player in it was . . .  Vice President Joseph Biden.  It was Biden's attorney and friend, Brian Ettinger, who laid out many of the details in the audio recording below, during a conference call from a car phone.  Ettinger was in a car with then-Congressman Curt Weldon.  

During that conversation, it comes out that "Hillary Clinton's (then Secretary of State) and Leon Panetta's (then CIA Director) fingerprints are all over this."

A transcript of the audio recording appears below.   Beneath that is a telephone recording you can listen to.

These are only a small PART of the actual evidence that is now coming out through Intelligence Circles.  More is coming, and it gets much, much worse.

In fact, the Intelligence Community identified three separate mechanisms used by the Administration of George W. Bush to facilitate and maintain the hiding of Bin Laden in Iran, and two separate mechanisms later used by the Obama/Biden Administration - with Hillary Clinton - to CONTINUE HIDING BIN LADEN!

What this comes down to is unimaginable:

Then-President GW Bush sent US Troops into war in Afghanistan after the attacks of 9-11 despite knowing in advance that "war" was based on a complete fraud. A fraud manufactured by Bush and his Administration.  That, it seems to me, makes Bush's actions, MURDER.

Many of our troops died. Others came back forever maimed.  How's THAT for a betrayal of our nation and the murderous betrayal of our military troops?

Worse, it now is also out that members of Congress and the Senate KNEW Bin Laden was in Iran, and NONE of them told the American people or took any action at all to stop the war in Afghanistan.  

US Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, knew.   Remember this if you see her on the campaign trail over the next 20 some-odd days, and give her what you decide she so richly deserves.  

US Senator Joseph Lieberman, Democrat of Connecticut, knew.

US Congressman Curt Weldon, Democrat of Pennsylvania knew.

There were others who knew as well.  They will ALL be named soon.

It is now also out that former President Barack Obama and his Vice-President, Joseph Biden KNEW Osama Bin Laden was being hidden in Iran.  Neither man stopped the war in Afghanistan.

Every U.S. military member who was injured and killed during the war years in Afghanistan, died for nothing.  The entire war was a complete lie; engineered with the approval of then-President George W. Bush, his CIA Director Leon Panetta, and was carried out for years despite the fact that Senators Susan Collins of Maine, and then-Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, along with then-Congressman Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania (and others in Congress) knew.

Moreover, as the war and deaths continued in the Obama Administration, both Barack Obama and his Vice-President, Joseph Biden KNEW TOO.  They kept the charade going! ! ! ! !   

When you see Joe Biden out on the campaign trail over the next few weeks, maybe give HIM what you decide is what he so richly deserves, too.

TRANSCRIPT

CRIMES:

The attacks of 9-11 were, by any reasonable definition, "overt acts of war against the united states."   That is the Constitution's definition of "Treason."

President George W. Bush publicly and repeatedly told Americans that the attacks were masterminded by Osama Bin Laden.

Yet Bush and his Administration ARRANGED for Bin Laden to hide in Iran.  THAT is "aiding and abetting" Treason.

If then Vice President Cheney knew this was going on, then he is guilty of Misprison of a Felony.

Later, when Barack Obama took office, and began negotiating with Iran for the movement of Bin Laden from Iran to Pakistan for their "trophy kill" that too, aided an abetted Bin Laden escaping US Courts.  

Thus, it appears to some folks that Barack Obama and Joseph Biden are also guilty of either Aiding and Abetting Treason, or Misprison of a Felony.

The list of crimes can go on and on and on. 

Yet the US Department of Justice has done nothing.

I think we've waited loing enough for them.  I think it's clear they're part of the problem.

The solution to this is clear.

RECORDING

Robin Westenra · THE U.S. KNEW WHERE OSAMA BIN LADEN WAS...

Some more on this...

 

Of course the "fact checkers" will tell you it is fake!

If in doubt blame Russia - YET AGAIN!

Mentally Replace Everything 

Before “U.S. Intelligence 

Says” With “Blah Blah We’re 

Probably Lying”

Caitlin Johnstone

“Russia Secretly Offered Afghan Militants Bounties to Kill Troops, U.S. Intelligence Says”, blares the latest viral headline from The New York Times. NYT’s unnamed sources allege that the GRU “secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing coalition forces in Afghanistan — including targeting American troops”, and that the Trump administration has known this for months.

To be clear, this is journalistic malpractice. Mainstream media outlets which publish anonymous intelligence claims with no proof are just publishing CIA press releases disguised as news. They’re just telling you to believe what sociopathic intelligence agencies want you to believe under the false guise of impartial and responsible reporting. This practice has become ubiquitous throughout mainstream news publications, but that doesn’t make it any less immoral.

Whenever one sees a news headline ending in “US Intelligence Says”, one should always mentally replace everything that comes before it with “Blah blah blah we’re probably lying”. In a post-Iraq invasion world, the only correct response to unproven anonymous claims about a rival government by intelligence agencies from the US or its allies is to assume that they are lying until you are provided with a mountain of independently verifiable evidence to the contrary. The US has far too extensive a record of lying about these things for any other response to ever be justified as rational, and its intelligence agencies consistently play a foundational role in those lies.

Voices outside the mainstream narrative control matrix have been calling these accusations what they are: baseless, lacking in credibility, and not reflective of anything other than fair play even if true.

“Same old story: alleged intelligence ops IMPOSSIBLE to verify, leaked to the press which reports them quoting ANONYMOUS officials,” tweeted journalist Stefania Maurizi.

“So we are to simply believe the same intelligence orgs that paid bounties to bring innocent prisoners to Guantanamo, lied about torture in Afghanistan, and lied about premises for war from WMD in Iraq to the Gulf of Tonkin ‘attack’? All this and no proof?” tweeted author and analyst Jeffrey Kaye.

“It’s totally outrageous for Russia to support the Taliban against Americans in Afghanistan. Of course, it’s totally fine for the U.S. to support jihadi rebels against Russians in Syria, jihadi rebels who openly said the Taliban is their hero,” tweeted author and analyst Max Abrams.

On the flip side all the McResistance pundits have been speaking of this baseless allegation as a horrific event that is known to have happened, with Rachel Maddow going so far as to describe it as Putin offering bounties for the “scalps” of American soldiers in Afghanistan. This is an interesting choice of words considering that offering bounties for scalps is in fact one of the many horrific things the US government did in furthering its colonialist ambitions, which, unlike the New York Times allegation, is known to have actually happened.

It is true as many have been pointing out that it would be fair play for Russia to fund violent opposition the the US in Afghanistan, seeing as that’s exactly what the US and its allies have been doing to Russia and its allies in Syria, and did to the Soviets in Afghanistan via Operation Cyclone. It is also true that the US military has no business in Afghanistan anyway and any violence inflicted upon US troops abroad is the fault of the military expansionists who put them there; the US military has no place outside its own easily-defended borders and the assumption that it is normal for a government to circle the planet with military bases is a faulty premise.

But before even getting into such arguments, the other side of the debate must meet its burden of proof that this has even happened. That burden is far from met. It is literally the US intelligence community’s job to lie to you. The New York Times has an extensive history of pushing for new wars at every opportunity, including the unforgivable Iraq invasion which killed a million people based on lies. A mountain of proof is required before such claims should be seriously considered, and we are very, very far from that.

I will repeat myself: it is the US intelligence community’s job to lie to you. I will repeat myself again: it is the US intelligence community’s job to lie to you. Don’t treat these CIA press releases with anything but contempt.

To Keep Russiagate Alive 

'Officials' Make New Claims 

Without Providing Evidence

Moon of Alabama,

27 June, 2020

There were allegations about emails that someone exfiltrated from the DNC and provided to Wikileaks. Russia must have done it. The FBI and other intelligence services were all over it. In the end no evidence was provided to support the claims.

There were allegations that Trump did not really win the elections. Russia must have done it. The various U.S. intelligence service, together with their British friends, provided all kinds of sinister leaks about the alleged case. In the end no evidence was provided to support the claims.

A British double agent, Sergej Skirpal, was allegedly injured in a Russian attack on him. The intelligence services told all kind of contradicting nonsense about the case. In the end no evidence was provided to support the claims.

All three cases had two points in common. The were based on sources near to the U.S. and British intelligence community. They were designed to increase hostility against Russia. The last point was then used to sabotage Donald Trump's original plans for better relations with Russia.

Now the intelligence services make another claim that fits right into the above scheme.

Reporters from the New York Times and the Washington Post were called up by unnamed 'officials' and told to write that Russia pays some Afghans to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan. There is zero evidence that the claim is true. The Taliban spokesman denies it. The numbers of U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan is minimal. The alleged sources of the claims are criminals the U.S. has taken as prisoners in Afghanistan.

All that nonsense is again used to press against Trump's wish for better relations with Russia. Imagine - Trump was told about these nonsensical claims and he did nothing about it!

The same intelligence services and 'officials' previously paid bounties to bring innocent prisoners to Guantanamo Bay, tortured them until they made false confessions and lied about it. The same intelligence services and 'officials' lied about WMD in Iraq. The same 'intelligence officials' paid and pay Jihadis disguised as 'Syrian rebels' to kill Russian and Syrian troops which defend their countries.

The journalistic standards at the New York Times and Washington Post must be below zero to publish such nonsense without requesting real evidence. The press release like stories below from anti-Trump/anti-Russian sources have nothing to do with 'great reporting' but are pure stenography.

The New York Times:

Russia Secretly Offered Afghan Militants Bounties to Kill 

U.S. Troops, Intelligence Says

American intelligence officials have concluded that a Russian military intelligence unit secretly offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants for killing coalition forces in Afghanistan — including targeting American troops — amid the peace talks to end the long-running war there, according to officials briefed on the matter.

...

The officials familiar with the intelligence did not explain the White House delay in deciding how to respond to the intelligence about Russia.

While some of his closest advisers, like Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, have counseled more hawkish policies toward Russia, Mr. Trump has adopted an accommodating stance toward Moscow.

...

The intelligence assessment is said to be based at least in part on interrogations of captured Afghan militants and criminals.

The Washington Post:

Russian operation targeted coalition troops in Afghanistan, intelligence finds

A Russian military spy unit offered bounties to Taliban-linked militants to attack coalition forces in Afghanistan, including U.S. and British troops, in a striking escalation of the Kremlin’s hostility toward the United States, American intelligence has found.

The Russian operation, first reported by the New York Times, has generated an intense debate within the Trump administration about how best to respond to a troubling new tactic by a nation that most U.S. officials regard as a potential foe but that President Trump has frequently embraced as a friend, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive intelligence matter.

...

The unit that officials identified as responsible for allegedly offering the bounties has also been linked to the poisoning and attempted murder of former Russian military spy Sergei Skripal in Britain in 2018.

The US spy agencies did not find any intelligence about Moscow offering bounties on American troops in Afghanistan that were credible enough to inform him or his vice president, US President Donald Trump said.

In another blow to the volley of anonymously sourced claims, President 

Trump tweeted on Sunday night that US intelligence “just reported to me that they did not find this info credible, and therefore did not report it to me or [Vice President Mike Pence]”

Possibly another fabricated Russia Hoax, maybe by the Fake News NYT, wanting to make Republicans look bad!!!

https://www.rt.com/usa/493197-trump-intelligence-afghanistan-moscow/