Albanese said nothing about Xi's intrusion further into the Luconia Shoals in the South China Sea and ever closer to Australia and Australian oil supplies - Xi now further emboldened ,while Albanese continues to seek cooperation on climate change

by Ganesh Sahathevan



Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, meets Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia, Nov. 15, 2022.

 

VOA reported:

Speaking to reporters after his meeting with China's President Xi, Australia's Prime Minister Albanese said talks had been positive.

“It was a very positive and constructive discussion, and I was pleased that it was held,” Albanese said. “We know that China is Australia’s largest trading partner. They are worth more than Japan, the U.S. and the Republic of Korea together, combined. So, it is an important relationship for Australia.”

However, despite the concern with trade, Albanese seems to have said nothing about China's increasingly agressive intrusion into the Luconia Shoals, in the South China Sea, which brings China ever closer the shipping routes in and out of Singapore that supply Australia's fuel. 

Albanese seemed more concerned about China's cooperation in "tackling climate change", as appears to be the case from this exchange during the press conference after his meeting with Xi: 

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, should we read anything into the fact that the meeting was 32 minutes long? And did you raise issues of climate change, cybersecurity, foreign interference, and any actions on any of those matters?

PRIME MINISTER: I certainly raised climate change and the need for us to work together in tackling climate change. I referred to the floods that are occurring in New South Wales. That climate change is a global issue, and it requires a global response. And China has an important role to play. On Taiwan, I certainly raised that issue. I put Australia's position, which is support for the status quo, which I put forward in the meeting, and that we didn't wish to see any change to that status quo.

Nothing seems to have been said about China's aggression in the South China Sea, which now goes as far down as the Luconia Shoals:

Why China's particular interest in asserting sovereignty over Malaysia 's Luconia Shoals (South China Sea) should concern all Australians

Malaysia has been fighting a losing battle against China in defending its interests around the Shoals, and one would expect that Australia, being a FPDA partner, would do what it can to assist, especially in this instance where Australia's fuel supplies are at risk. As reported, China seems to be manoeuvring itself into a position where it would have effective control over the oil and gas installations, as well as shipping lines.

Xi's meeting with Albanese is likely to embolden Xi in his expansion further down the South China Sea. 

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