‘Anti-Chinese’ sentiment in Australia could hurt ties: expert

"Anti-Chinese" sentiment in Australia is likely to hurt bilateral relations, a Chinese expert said, after Australian police vowed to investigate alleged racist posters aimed at Chinese people. 

Posters that showing Chinese people holding a knife and a fork, grinning in front of an Australian map in the form of a slab of steak, were seen around Sydney on Monday local time, Hong Kong news site on.cc reported.

The report said the posters are likely meant to mock Chinese people who have been buying property in recent years, which may contribute to soaring real estate prices in Australia. 

Australian society has witnessed increasing anti-Chinese sentiment in recent years,  Gu Xiaosong, an expert on Southeast Asian studies at the Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times Wednesday. 

The report added that phrases like "Abilities-Inconspicuous buy-out of Aussie housing, business & infrastructure," "passive yet cunning," and "gotta catch and deport 'em all" are printed on the posters.

Recently, an Australian TV program called "Power and Influence: How China's Communist Party is infiltrating Australia," sparked heated discussions in China.

The program claims how Beijing is actively "manipulating" the Chinese community in Australia, including Chinese students and Chinese-language media, to widen its influence in the country, which "poses a direct threat to our nation's liberties and its sovereignty." 

"The anti-Chinese sentiment comes amid Australia's weak economic performance and high unemployment. And immigrants, of which Chinese form a large part, are being blamed for the situation," Gu said. 

Gu also warned that Australia should control the "negative sentiment" at a time when the Australian government is eager to boost economic ties with China, Gu said.

Globaltimes.cn

Tagged: Australia 109, China 99, Trade 14, Finance 22, Business 19, Beijing 9, Sydney 29