‘Australian people stand up!’ Malcolm Turnbull invokes Mao in war of words with China
It’s not everyday that you hear a non-Chinese world leader quoting Mao Zedong, but amid a diplomatic spat between Beijing and Canberra, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull decided that the best way to make his point would be by referencing the Great Helmsman.
Responding to questions on Saturday about foreign influence in Australian politics, Turnbull, aka “Sugar Dumpling,”stated that that plainly was the case before dusting off his Mandarin for a quick history lesson.
“Modern China was founded in 1949 with these words: ‘中国人民站起来,’ ‘the Chinese people have stood up.’ It was an assertion of sovereignty; it was an assertion of pride. And we stand up, and so we say, ‘澳大利亚人民站起来,’ ‘the Australian people stand up.’”
Turnbull’s Mao impression comes after China’s Foreign Ministry said it was “shocked” on Friday after the prime minister had said, in parliament, that foreign powers were making “unprecedented and increasingly sophisticated attempts” to influence Australian and world politics, citing “disturbing reports about Chinese influence.” Spokesman Geng Shuang warned Turnbull and Australia against “poisoning” ties between the two countries by “pandering to irresponsible reports.”
However, Rather than ease off on this sort of direct, tough rhetoric, Turnbull has since doubled-down, causing Kristina Keneally, a star candidate in Bennelong for the opposition Labor party, to accuse him of “China-phobia” and “scaremongering.”
Meanwhile, the People’s Daily has published an editorial, accusing the Australian government and media of “hysterical paranoia” with “racist undertones” that stain Australia’s image as a multicultural society, claiming that China has no intentions of using financial contributions to interfere in Australian politics.
This whole kerfuffle began in November when Sam Dastyari, a Labor party parliament member was forced to resign as deputy opposition whip following reports that he had informed a Chinese businessman, well-connected political donor, and Communist Party member that his phone was likely being tapped by Australian intelligence agencies.
That revelation followed a number of reports this year from Australian media about how the Chinese government was attempting to “infiltrate” Australian society, politics, and even college campuses. An August investigation by ABC found that Australian businesses with close ties to China had donated $5.5 million to Australia’s major political parties from 2013 to 2015.
To address these political scandals, Turnbull has introduced a range of reforms targeting espionage and foreign influence. One bill would “make it a crime for a person to engage in conduct on behalf of a foreign principal that will influence a political or governmental process, and is either covert or involves deception.”
In a combative Monday Q&A session, Turnbull denied that he was “anti-China,” but refused to back down from the positions he had taken over the past week. In the ongoing war of words, he has not yet resorted to quoting Mao again, though we’re looking forward to: “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun” and “If you have to shit, shit! If you have to fart, fart! You will feel much better for it.”
Finally, it’s probably worth noting that experts generally agree that Mao never actually said “the Chinese people have stood up” while addressing the masses in Tiananmen Square in 1949.
And it’s also likely worth noting that the wife of Turnbull’s son was born in Hong Kong to a well-connected family from Shanghai who were reportedly “on good terms with Jiang Zemin.” Her father was a Communist Party member and international relations scholar.
