China launched a strong rebuke against Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday, accusing both nations of exhibiting a “colonial-style arrogance” in their recent joint statement that criticized Beijing’s human rights record. The statement, issued after high-level meetings in Canberra, highlighted concerns over China’s policies in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and its activities in the South China Sea. In response, the Chinese embassy in New Zealand condemned the remarks as biased and misleading, emphasizing that Canberra and Wellington had overlooked their own domestic challenges regarding Indigenous and ethnic minority rights.
The spokesperson for China’s embassy in Wellington expressed deep dissatisfaction with the joint declaration made by the defence and foreign ministers of Australia and New Zealand. They described the comments as “marked by bias, misinformation, and inexplicable colonial-style arrogance,” suggesting that the two countries were quick to criticize China while ignoring their own historical and ongoing issues related to Indigenous populations. This response reflects Beijing’s broader strategy of pushing back against Western criticism by highlighting perceived double standards.
Furthermore, the Chinese diplomat accused Australia and New Zealand of failing to address what Beijing considers the “root cause” of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. The spokesperson pointed to the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 as the catalyst for the current tensions, implying that Canberra and Wellington were diverting attention away from these actions by focusing on China’s internal affairs. This stance underscores China’s attempt to shift the narrative away from its own policies and onto broader geopolitical dynamics.
On Tuesday, the Australian and New Zealand ministers had jointly condemned Iran’s “reckless and indiscriminate attacks” on its neighbours, while also criticizing Beijing’s “destabilising activities” in the contested South China Sea region. The statement took a firm stance against China’s treatment of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang and Tibet, as well as the suppression of freedoms in Hong Kong, which has been a point of international concern for several years. This coordinated diplomatic move signaled a rare moment of alignment between Canberra and Wellington on issues related to China’s regional ambitions and human rights record.
In its rebuttal, the Chinese mission in Wellington accused Australia and New Zealand of applying double standards when it comes to human rights. The embassy asserted that ethnic minorities in China live in harmony, contrasting this with the treatment of Indigenous peoples in Australia and New Zealand. Beijing suggested that the global community is well-positioned to make an impartial assessment of how these countries handle their own minority populations, implicitly questioning the moral authority of Canberra and Wellington to criticize China. This exchange highlights the ongoing diplomatic tensions and the complex interplay of historical grievances and contemporary geopolitical rivalries.
