China-Australia: What's really behind the conflict?

Australia and China have had favourable diplomatic relations having actively engaged with one another especially in the economic sector. China is Australia's largest trading partner.

Relations between the two, however, started to deteriorate in recent years. Tensions seemed to have worsened this week after China slappped enormous tariffs on Australian wine. Meanwhile, Australia demanded an apology from China after a senior official posted a doctored image of an Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of a child.

But let’s go back to several years ago, to when tensions started to boil over issues relating to sovereignty, human rights, tech, South China Sea and COVID-19.

• August 2018 - The Australian government banned Chinese telecom firm Huawei Technologies from supplying equipment for the country’s 5G mobile network, citing national security concerns

• July 2019 - Australia’s United Nation’s ambassador along with 22 other nations signed a letter condemning China's mistreatment of minorities in the country, specifically the Muslim’s Uyghurs, demanding the Chinese government to close the Xinjiang re-education camps.

• 2020 - Bilateral relations worsened after Australia called for a global investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 virus and China’s handling of the pandemic during its initial outbreak in Wuhan. This move came after Australia banned foreign nationals travelling from mainland China in February.

• 2020 - Australia abandoned Its neutrality on the South China Sea maritime disputes, siding with the U.S. and rejected China’s maritime claims

• 2020 - Australia has openly opposed Hong Kong national security law and suspended the extradition treaty with Hong Kong. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said that the law undermined "Hong Kong's own basic law" while China has criticised the move as a "gross interference" in its domestic affairs.

Trade war

In recent months, China has targeted several Australian imports including coal, timber, copper, beef, meat, lobsters and barley.

• May 2020 - China announced anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties totalling 80.5% on Australian barley imports. China is the largest export market for Australian barley, used to make beer and feed for livestock.

• October 2020 - China unofficially placed a ban on imports of coal from Australia. More than 60 ships carrying Australian coal have been stranded at sea – some for months – while waiting to enter Chinese ports.

• On Friday, the Chinese government announced import taxes up to 212% on Australian wine, effectively halting Australia’s trade worth up to $1.4 billion per year.

• According to Wine Australia, China is the biggest importer of Australian wine. China alone made up 39% of Australia's total wine exports as of September 2020.

• Canberra said it will seek redress at the World Trade Organisation over the tariffs.

READ MORE: Australia 'will always be Australia,' PM responds to China grievances

Far from over

With Australia already stricken by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has demanded China for an explanation as to why the country has been singled out with so many trade restrictions.

Chinese authorities have detailed 14 grievances with Canberra that it claims explained the sharp deterioration in bilateral relations.

The list of grievances includes China’s dissatisfaction towards the banning of Huawei from the 5G network, the COVID-19 origins probe on China, raids on Chinese journalists and academic visa cancellations, interference in China’s affairs in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang, amongst many others.

A Chinese government official was reported to have said, 'China is angry. If you make China the enemy, China will be the enemy,'

More recently, China continues its provocation through social media.

• Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry tweeted an image of a soldier slitting a child’s throat, with a caption “Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts and call for holding them accountable.”

• The tweet was referring to a report by Australia’s military earlier this month which found evidence of Australian troops unlawfully killing 39 Afghan prisoners.

• Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday called the image "truly repugnant” and demanded an apology.

• Meanwhile, China accused Australia of overreacting to the tweet and hyping the issue for domestic political purposes.The Chinese embassy in Canberra, on Tuesday, said, “The rage and roar of some Australian politicians and media is nothing but misreading of and overreaction to Mr Zhao's tweet.”

A few countries have spoken out in support of Australia over the incident, including the U.S, U.K, New Zealand and France.

READ MORE: Chinese embassy says Australia 'misread' offending social media post