
China-Australia tensions continue with new cartoon.
Overnight China's government mouthpiece The Global Times has published a cartoon of a bloodied kangaroo alongside a series of scathing tweets directed at Australia and Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
The new cartoon mocks Morrison for his outburst over the doctored image of an Australian soldier holding a bloodied knife to the throat of an Afghan child, which was mocked up by a local computer graphics designer.
"I am flabbergasted that he even organised a press conference to fume about it," the artist wrote.
#Opinion: A Chinese artist expressed his anger and condemnation against Australian troops’ war crimes with a cartoon. A Chinese diplomat put it on Twitter. They are practicing their freedom of speech. Ridiculously, such moves are intolerant to Australia.https://t.co/xpGYzwwddu
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) December 1, 2020
The faked images were published to Twitter by China's foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian earlier this week, and led to global outrage and criticism against Beijing.
The tensions between our two countries began when Australia demanded an investigation into the origins of coronavirus, spoke out about human rights abuses, and clamped down on foreign investment and interference.
It prompted hits on a wide range of Australian exports including coal, timber, grain and seafood with bans and tariffs.
Today Australia's agriculture and trade ministers are set to meet with the nation's peak wine body in a bid to lodge a defence against China's trade intervention.
What do you think of this? 👇
— News Breakfast (@BreakfastNews) December 1, 2020
Politicians from around the world, who are part of a group working on China relations, have posted a video calling on people to buy Australian wine in a show of solidarity.
It comes after China imposed crippling import taxes on Australian wine. pic.twitter.com/yeDE1w7YyI