Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the nation’s state leaders should come together to visit and meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, says Western Australian (WA) Premier Mark McGowan.
The Labor Premier McGowan is currently touring China—WA’s largest trading partner—and has been vocal in his support for stronger economic ties with Beijing and critical of any talk of a “Cold War.”
“One of the things he could do is, invite all the premiers and chief ministers to come with him.”
He said the premiers could “fan out” across China to cover more ground.
“It would be a strong demonstration that the relationship is back to a harmonious and productive one,” he said.
McGowan also told Beijing’s media mouthpiece, The Global Times newspaper, that talk of decoupling trade from China was “now in the past” while also praising a new era of Australia-China ties under the federal Labor government.
The Epoch Times has contacted McGowan’s office for confirmation of the remarks.
McGowan is the second state leader to visit China this year, following Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ visit a few weeks earlier. Andrews, who controversially signed up for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), did not allow a media contingent to join him during his week-long tour.
Andrews’ BRI agreement was later torn up under specific laws passed by the former Morrison government who cited concerns that the Belt and Road were against Australia’s national interest. Later this year, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is expected to also tour China.
McGowan’s suggestion, meanwhile was lambasted by Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, who said, “Honest to God, I couldn’t believe it.”
“I thought it was an article from [satrical website] the Betoota Advocate,” he told Sky News Australia on April 20.
“To the people of Western Australia, really and truly, I know you think Mr. McGowan walks on water, but he is walking on water all the way to Beijing,” Joyce said.
McGowan’s Slip Creating Fissures in National Cohesiveness
As part of his diplomatic offensive, McGowan took part in a China-Australia Chamber of Commerce dinner in Beijing.However, the premier was filmed badmouthing WA federal Liberal Party MP Andrew Hastie, who is banned from entering China.
“The other Western Australian who was senior, well, there was a few of them actually—Hastie. He swallowed some sort of Cold War pills back … when he was born, and he couldn’t get his mindset out of that.”
Hastie responded quickly, saying McGowan was “out of his intellectual depth.”
“I was not surprised that he was running down Australian MPs in China, but I was surprised that he would do that given he was a former legal officer in the Royal Australian Navy,” Hastie said.
“I think when you’re overseas, and you’re representing our country, you keep those sorts of comments to yourself and you back in your colleagues across the Parliament regardless of what party they are in.
“I think it’s pretty damaging, and it shows he is out of his intellectual depth.”