Scott Morrison has gone straight to the Chinese people using the WeChat messaging service to explain Australia’s approach to war crimes, defend the nation’s honour, and restate its ongoing respect for Chinese people.
As at noon today, his message had been viewed 54,000 times, garnering 1788 likes. There’s been no official government response. But plenty of Chinese WeChat users have responded.
Australian academic Dr Luxin Liu translated for Crikey. Here is a selection with the user name first in bold.
Big Mouth
The dignity of Chinese people come from the rise of China. The Chinese government is always the strongest backup for the overseas Chinese. Trust our motherland! Trust our wolf warrior! Be a Chinese!
ZGR
We support Australian prime minister! The best way to deal with the rogue country is to decouple.
Interesting Soul
Maybe Morrison is too sensitive! Too sensitive!! Too sensitive!!!
Song Hao
I want to add to Morrison’s WeChat!
Hommer_zhang
The prime minister was cheated and trapped. The best way to deal with this is to ignore it!
Jumper
Not many people in China noticed that Twitter until Morrison talked about it publicly. More people noticed after his Chinese WeChat. It’s actually quite a normal Twitter for Zhao Lijian. Don’t worry about it! Leave it!
(..)
You admitted the murder of innocents first. Other people condemned it second. Why should you feel ashamed? Totally confused!
Martrix
He is anxious, anxious, anxious!
Chuyin. W
Our country has found more and more evil tricks in recent years!
Andrew
This has nothing to do with values! Your army went to others’ country, killed the innocents and the kids. You arrogant white people have done something wrong, and did not let others to say a few words? Why?
USALewis16
It is Australia that should apologise to the people of Afghanistan and the world!
FLV.11 Max
China is not “to kill the chicken as a warning to the monkey”. It is to tell the world: “You give me an inch, I’ll give you a foot.” Morrison needs to learn. He was trapped!
Freedragon
Trump posted a lot of nonsense, every day. You said nothing about it. Zhao Lijian posted a simple Twitter, which was based on the facts, Australian politicians jumped on it, and their Five Eye alliance. It’s glass heart!
Daniel
Personally I think the best response the Australian PM can give is to have a thorough investigation, and to deal with it legally. Just ask for an apology in a rush. It’s childish!
Zoulu
It shows the naked arrogance of Australia when facing China. It’s obvious they have double standards when handling the human rights issues.
Wentao
Australian prime minister made a big fuss, made it a hot topic on the world stage. His purpose was: to move people’s attention away from his army’s atrocity in Afghanistan; to blame China on the deterioration of the relationship between the two countries; and to fan some nationalism in Australia.
Catdiscuss
As for Morrison’s talk and WeChat message [about the doctored photo], only the Foreign Affairs Ministry and some ordinary patriotic netizens are fighting Morrison. The majority of other “mainstream” state media (in China) are staying silent, or trying to avoid it, or trying to ignore it. Seems it has nothing to do with them!
Daofaziran
They only know to follow the US. The so-called universal values is hypocritical! They should now devote themselves to prepare for the coming bushfire. Don’t play these tricks!
Brucewen
It is truth. Australian soldiers killed more than 30 Afghan civilians! Share on Australia!
Tiefen
They killed two kids. Only one in the picture. It’s fabricated!
Dapeishi
I understood you’re angry. But no apology! That’s it.
Budaoke
An interview with the author of the picture after Morrison WeChat, with a title:
“Mr Morrison, what your solders had done is more cruel than my picture … Australian prime minister Morrison is very angry with my picture. Even now I still think it is unbelievable. Morrison … so agitated with my picture, even organised a press conference specifically for this matter and accused this picture. It is unbelievable! … Morrison should feel ashamed for his soldiers who committed atrocity in Afghanistan … I made this picture on the night of 22 November. After watching that news, Australian soldiers killed 39 Afghanistan people, and two 14-year-old teens [had their throats] cut. I was angry, was shuddered, and started the painting right away.”
Global Times, 8.30am, December 2, 2020
This is the newest response from state media:
Australian prime minister backs down. He told his colleagues, “Our work is focusing on establishing dialogue that allows us to steadily work through issues as governments”… “doesn’t need any further amplification”; “don’t fan further tensions …”
Luxin Liu is an Australian academic.
Morrison is a compulsive liar – any fake apology would rightly be seen for what it is.
Sounds like they have his measure.
This might sound like a joke, but, I am genuinely disgusted at how much of a noob Morrison is. The dudes the right age to have had arguments on IRC or usenet, men his senior are avid online gamers. So many old farts posting here. He has somehow gotten through life without basic internet argument skills. I am watching the geopolitical equivalent of a forums slapfight except the guy melting down is the PM.
Is ScoMo the right person for the job of managing this relationship? Daggy Dad doesn’t fill me with confidence.
Megaphone Morrison.
He needs to shutup and let quiet diplomacy smooth the waters. Every time he opens his mouth and says something about China, he is saying it for a domestic audience, trying to prove that we can stand up to China. But what he doesn’t “get”, is that China is seeing a lot of what he is saying as putting them down, and embarrassing them in front of the World.
Of course every Country needs to look after their own sovereignty, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you openly criticize others. You can do it through Diplomatic channels, quietly.
Crikey, well done on China – Oz issues, and in particular the Twitter hot potato! Crikey stands out, as truth teller and credible commentator, amongst a sea of rubbish Oz press!! Publishing some of the comments on We Chat was a good idea. If only the Oz dailies did the same.. But they never do, did!!
All the China issues, so far, have done us much harm. I’ve been critical about our gov., opposition and press since this affair started with Morrison’s insistence on Covid’s China investigation. It has just got worse, and exposed Morrison’s attitudes to the whole world. I wonder what they are saying privately in Washington and London. Our greatest allies…