relationship Each week China Matters collates news items about the Australia-China relationship Media Roundup Issue 118 (19/04/19 – 26/04/19) 1. ‘Uncharted territory’: WeChat’s new role in Australian public life raises difficult questions 19/04/19 Michael Walsh and Bang Xiao ABC News As more Australian politicians and media organisations sign up to the Chinese social media mega-app WeChat, questions are being raised about its new place within Australia's democracy. There are concerns politicians using WeChat may have to self-censor their comments, avoiding criticism of China and dodging other topics Beijing finds sensitive. Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten both use WeChat to communicate with Chinese-Australian voters, while several media organisations including the ABC, SBS and the Australian also have accounts. But the news stories posted on WeChat aren't always the same ones making headlines in Australia. Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-19/wechats-new-role-in- australian-politics-raises-questions/11031878 2. Chinese surveillance near PNG expanding as Australia and US begin Manus Island naval upgrades 21/04/19 Andrew Greene ABC News High-tech Chinese ships are mapping waters close to Papua New Guinea just as the United States and Australia begin upgrading a naval base on Manus Island. The deep-water Chinese scientific surveys are part of Beijing's unprecedented oceanographic research of the Western Pacific, in an area experts believe could be crucial in any future maritime conflict with the US. China Matters Media Roundup Issue 118 (19/04/19 - 26/04/19) relationship Each week China Matters collates news items about the Australia-China relationship Military analysis of GPS satellite data reveals two Chinese research vessels entered PNG's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) north of Manus Island, just weeks after US Vice President Mike Pence announced a joint redevelopment of the ageing Lombrum naval base. The ships involved, the Ke Xue and Hai Ce 3301, are part of a two-dozen strong Chinese "Distant-Ocean Research fleet" that has conducted expansive maritime surveys around the Philippines, Palau, Guam and Japan over the past two years. Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-21/china-increases- surveillance-near-png/11028192 3. Indian, Australian warships arrive in China for naval parade 21/04/19 Ben Blanchard Reuters Warships from India, Australia and several other nations arrived in the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao on Sunday to attend a naval parade, part of a goodwill visit as China extends the hand of friendship despite regional tensions and suspicions. China on Tuesday will mark 70 years since the founding of the People’s Liberation Army Navy, where it will show off new warships including nuclear submarines and destroyers at a major review in the waters off Qingdao. China says warships from about a dozen nations are also taking part - one diplomatic source with direct knowledge said it was 13 countries in total - and the PLA is putting its best foot forward to welcome them. […] Australia, a close U.S. ally, has sent the “HMAS Melbourne” guided-missile frigate to Qingdao, though officials declined to make the captain available for interview. Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-military- anniversary/indian-australian-warships-arrive-in-china-for-naval-parade- idUSKCN1RX04W China Matters Media Roundup Issue 118 (19/04/19 - 26/04/19) relationship Each week China Matters collates news items about the Australia-China relationship 4. Exporters warned: don’t rely on daigou for your Chinese sales 22/04/19 Glenda Korporaal The Australian Australian companies looking to sell food and consumer goods to China should not build their business model on the Australian daigou market, Shanghai-based China marketing consultant Mark Tanner has warned. The New Zealand-born founder and managing director of marketing strategy firm China Skinny said new laws introduced in China in January were making it harder for personal shoppers overseas to sell back into the China market. “The crackdown on daigou (by Chinese authorities) shouldn’t come as a surprise to any Australian brands with exposure to the frivolity of the daigou trade,” Mr Tanner told The Australian. “The 2016 daigou and cross-border laws introduced virtually overnight saw daigou purchases freeze for a couple of months before the regulations were retracted. Read more (Paywall): https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/exporters- warned-dont-rely-on-daigou-for-your-chinese-sales/news- story/561bd121d859502b2323931a333e9a57?nk=9510cbfa347cc9f571deb56c35 ff86ae-1556001674 5. Council committee sought opinion of Chinese consulate on newspaper’s sponsorship 23/04/19 Angus Thompson The Sydney Morning Herald Members of an events committee at a Sydney council sought the opinion of the Chinese consulate on receiving sponsorship from an Australian-owned media company over fears it may be deemed "anti-China". The Georges River Council Major Events Advisory Committee (MEAC) committee members raised concerns that news outlet Vision China Times supported Falun China Matters Media Roundup Issue 118 (19/04/19 - 26/04/19) relationship Each week China Matters collates news items about the Australia-China relationship Gong - a movement labelled a "heretical cult" by the Chinese Communist Party - a day before the sponsorship deal was hastily scrapped. "I am aware that member(s) of MEAC directly contacted the Office of the Chinese Consul-General of the People's Republic of China ... to ascertain it views on the sponsorship," then-acting general manager David Tuxford, who was at the meeting, said in a file note of the January 16, 2018 meeting. In that file note, among a bundle of documents discovered under freedom of information laws, Mr Tuxford said a Chinese consulate representative contacted the council a day after the meeting, expressing concerns about Vision China Times sponsoring the council's Lunar New Year event due to the organisation being "politically anti-China". Read more: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/council-committee-sought- opinion-of-chinese-consulate-on-newspaper-s-sponsorship-20190416- p51enj.html 6. Chinese economic revival may not be as good as you’d expect for Australia 23/04/19 Michael Janda ABC News China's strong economic growth numbers released last week were acknowledged by the nation's leadership in a Friday statement that slipped under the radar during Australia's long weekend. The nation's top decision-making body — the Central Politburo of the Communist Party — confirmed growth during the first quarter had been better than expected. The 6.4-per-cent March-quarter growth rate was in-line with the rate recorded over the last three months of 2018 and higher than the 6.3 per cent typically forecast by analysts. The most surprising figure, though, was industrial production, which surged from the previous month's annual growth rate of 5.3 per cent to 8.5 per cent, well above forecasts of 5.9 per cent. China Matters Media Roundup Issue 118 (19/04/19 - 26/04/19) relationship Each week China Matters collates news items about the Australia-China relationship Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-23/chinese-economic-revival- may-see-stimulus-wound-back/11037872 7. China Will Continue Slowdown in Australia Coal Until After Elections 24/04/19 Bloomberg News China will maintain a slowdown in coal imports from Australia until Beijing has assessed government policy in Canberra after federal elections in May, according to people with knowledge of the plan. Chinese Customs in January told local officials to start controlling imports of Australian coal, without giving explicit instructions as to how or why. That’s resulted in delays to clearance at some ports and additional testing at others, prompting concern that Beijing is retaliating against Australia’s ban on Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Co. China will decide whether to maintain those controls after the May 18 poll depending on the policies of the newly elected government, said the people, asking not to be identified because they’re not authorized to speak publicly. The timing will further bolster speculation that Beijing’s actions are politically motivated. Australia has been seeking to repair its relationship with its largest trading partner following a deterioration in ties after it banned Huawei Technologies Co. from bidding for 5G contracts and the introduction of anti- foreign interference laws aimed at China. Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-24/china-said- to-maintain-australia-coal-go-slow-until-after-polls 8. Bill Shorten and Scott Morrison risk losing access to Chinese voters on WeChat 24/04/2019 Steve Cannane and Echo Hui ABC News China Matters Media Roundup Issue 118 (19/04/19 - 26/04/19) relationship Each week China Matters collates news items about the Australia-China relationship Australian politicians including the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader risk being kicked off China's largest social media platform WeChat for using official accounts set up by Chinese citizens. The practice appears to be a breach of the platform's terms and conditions as well as leaving Australian politicians open to Chinese Government censorship. WeChat claims it has a million active users per month in Australia. The platform is being used by Australian politicians to target Chinese-Australian voters in key marginal seats. Read more: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-24/morrison-shorten-risk- losing-wechat-access-to-chinese-voters/11037868 9. Anzac Day 2019: Historic racism hides the true extent of Chinese soldiers’ legacy, historian says 25/04/19 Jason Fang, Robert Burton-Bradley and Michael Walsh ABC News Forgotten for decades, there are calls for the stories of Chinese Anzacs to receive wider recognition as part of the broader Australian wartime narrative.