夏威夷：王毅冷對澳外長

【Comment】

澳洲女性外交部長 Julie Bishop 訪問中國外交部，王毅一反慣例，在正式閉門會前的記者會見便給 Bishop 排頭。認為澳洲公開反對中國宣布ADIZ將危及雙邊關係。這是罕見的粗魯，
所以 Bishop 先是楞住後嚴正表達澳洲立場。但新華社對此大作文章：驚慌失措。

王毅的表演，受誰之命？給誰看？

實際上，會中 Bishop 指稱澳洲尊重中國言論的權利，中國也應如此。澳洲並未在釣魚台主權爭議採取立場。中國與澳洲貿易，是基於中國的國益。

近因，是北京碰壁後給小弟（澳洲）下馬威。另外，還有幾天前召中國駐澳大使說明、美澳簽署公報、10月間美日澳三國安保協議、澳洲禁止華為競標、澳洲情報單位破獲中國工業間諜，當然還有澳洲公民被中國囚禁等。但李源朝表達要與澳洲簽署FTA。

Bishop 說，絕對不遲疑去堅持自己的價值與觀點。

隨後的會議，長達幾乎4小時，直到週五夜晚。

Julie Bishop stands firm in diplomatic spat with China○雪梨前鋒晨報（2013.12.08）

http://cn.nytimes.com/policy/20131206/c06journalists/zh-hant/

Beijing:  Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop has held firm in the face of an unconventionally strong protest from Beijing over the federal government’s position on China’s newly-declared air defence zone in the East China Sea, insisting Australia ‘‘should never be afraid to stand by our values and our views’’.

In another flashpoint in the simmering diplomatic spat between the two countries, the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi sidestepped convention by launching into a stern rebuke of Ms Bishop in front of international and Chinese media before a formal closed-door meeting on Friday.

‘‘I have to point out that what Australia has said and done with regard to China’s establishment of the air defence identification zone in the East China Sea has jeopardised bilateral mutual trust and affected the sound growth of bilateral relations,’’ Mr Wang said, in introductory comments usually reserved for polite exchanges of pleasantries. ‘‘This is not what we desire to see.’’

While appearing surprised by the unusually direct and public nature of Mr Wang’s comments, Ms Bishop responded firmly.

‘‘I must take issue with you on the matter of the East China Sea.  We stand by our view,’’ she said, before reporters were ushered out of the room.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Ms Bishop rejected suggestions that foreign policy was not a strong suit of the Abbott government, with relations with Jakarta also strained over a spying scandal.

She said the government held a ‘‘credible’’ position with respect to China’s air defence zone which was motivated by the importance with which it viewed peace and stability in the region.

‘‘Australia has its own national interest, its view, its position, and we should never be afraid to stand by our values and our views,’’ Ms Bishop said.

She denied the disagreement over the East China Sea had overshadowed the first annual foreign and strategic dialogue between the two countries, pointing out a wide range of issues were canvassed in a ‘‘robust’’ discussion that lasted nearly four hours, deep into Friday night.

Beyond the East China Sea, tensions in North Korea and Syria, the economic and investment relationship between Australia and China, as well as the New Colombo plan which will help boost the numbers of Australian undergraduate students studying in China, were all discussed, she said.

Ms Bishop said she also raised ‘‘specific instances’’ of human rights concerns and Australian consular matters, without providing details.  Among the publicly-known Australians to be jailed in China include former Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu and entrepreneurs Matthew Ng and Charlotte Chou, who is awaiting the result of an appeal. 

She said Chinese Vice-President Li Yuanchao expressed a desire to conclude a free trade agreement ‘‘in the very near future’’, in a separate meeting earlier on Friday.

The foreign and strategic dialogue is part of the newly-expanded bilateral strategic architecture set up by the former Gillard government in April.

China’s move to establish the air defence zone in the East China Sea last month is seen as a strategic move to bolster its claim over a group of uninhabited islands – known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China – at the heart of a bitter territorial dispute with Tokyo.

China has threatened to use military force to enforce the zone, contributing to heightened tensions in the region, with the United States, Japan and Korea ignoring China’s demands and continuing to fly military aircraft through the zone without notification. 

An escalating series of diplomatic gestures between Canberra and Beijing have strained relations since last week after Australia took the rare step of calling in China’s ambassador to demand an explanation.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/julie-bishop-stands-firm-in-diplomatic-spat-with-china-20131207-hv4qn.html#ixzz2mrUc1isK

Stoush continues as Bishop receives cold welcome in China○雪梨前鋒晨報（2013.12.06）

The Chinese government has delivered a fresh rebuke to foreign affairs minister Julie Bishop, warning that Australia's position on the East China Sea had “jeopardised” bilateral relations.

In a cold welcome to Ms Bishop on her first visit to Beijing as foreign minister, her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi said China was “deeply dissatisfied” with Australia’s public criticism of its decision to establish an air defence zone in an area which covers islands in the East China Sea that are the subject of a long-standing territorial dispute between Japan and China.

"I have to point out that what Australia has said and done with regard to China's establishment of the air defence identification zone in the East China Sea has jeopardised bilateral mutual trust and affected the sound growth of bilateral relations,” Mr Wang said. “This is not what we desire to see.”

The remarks were made in front of assembled reporters before a formal meeting on Friday night, in introductory comments usually reserved for polite greetings and exchanges of pleasantries.

As she did when the diplomatic stoush first flared last week, Ms Bishop held her ground and said the government’s standpoint reflected the importance with which it viewed stability in the region.

"I must take issue with you on the matter of the East China Sea. We stand by our view,” she said, before attendants ushered reporters out of the room as formal talks began.

In a subsequent statement provided to reporters, the foreign minister said she told Mr Wang that Australia took “no position on the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, but we take decisions in our national interest.”

“We urge that there be no unilateral actions, nor coercive actions, but that both sides act in accordance with international law,” she said.

“We respect China's right to speak out on issues that affect China, just as we hope you will respect our right to speak out on actions that affect a region of critical security importance to Australia.”

China last month unilaterally established an air defence zone over a sensitive area of airspace over the East China Sea, which covers a group of uninhabited islands at the heart of a bitter territorial dispute, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China.

China has threatened to use military force to enforce the zone, contributing to heightened tensions in the area as other regional powers including the United States, Japan and Korea ignore China's demands and continue to fly military aircraft through the zone without informing Chinese authorities.

It came just days after Ms Bishop signed a communique with the US opposing ''unilateral or coercive change in the status quo'' in the East China Sea.  It also follows a trilateral agreement signed with the US and Japan in October.

The Coalition government has refused to take a backward step despite the deepening diplomatic spat with Beijing, with Prime Minister Tony Abbott declaring last week that ''China trades with us because it is in China's interest to trade with us''.

An escalating series of diplomatic gestures by both sides have strained relations since last week after Australia called in China's ambassador on Monday to demand an explanation over the air defence zone.

Ms Bishop defended the government's position on Thursday, arguing that Australia has a key stake in the region and therefore opposes ''action by any side that we believe could add to the tensions or add to the risk of a miscalculation in disputed territorial zones in the region''.

The diplomatic spat over China’s air defence zone has come at a period of already tense relations, after the Abbott government reaffirmed a ban on Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from bidding on National Broadband Network contracts.

Australian intelligence and security agencies are also investigating suspected Chinese involvement in an industrial espionage case at the nation’s top scientific organisation, the CSIRO.

Ms Bishop had arrived in Beijing from Jakarta, fresh from dealing with another tense diplomatic situation Australia's spying on Indonesia.

She also met with vice-president Li Yuanchao and the head of the ruling Communist Party’s International Department, Wang Jiarui, on Friday.  

http://www.smh.com.au/world/stoush-continues-as-bishop-receives-cold-welcome-in-china-20131206-2yxej.html#ixzz2mrRvzHiC