Australia's Belt and Road Man in Beijing
TOTT NEWS
In many ways Australia has already joined up with China's Belt and Road Initiative. And the nation's political class did not bother to inform the Australian public.
Begun in 2013, the Belt and Road scheme had the goal of building a network of trade routes and thereby spread China's influence around the globe.
Much of Australia's vital infrastructure is already in Chinese hands, the electricity grids, the ports, swathes of rural and urban real estate.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews was the first Australian politician to come out and formally declare an alliance with the Chinese in what was known as the Victoria's Belt and Road Initiative.
The Conservative Federal government, way back in 2021, tore up the agreement with a good deal of political chest beating.
Now, with his good friend Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in power, Daniel Andrews feels no compunction about reigniting his close relationship with Australia's largest trading partner.
It is perhaps no coincidence that the two countries with the most totalitarian response to the Covid scare, China and Australia, are so closely intertwined.
Here Australia's increasingly influential media outlet TOTT News examines Daniel Andrews visit.
Journalists have criticised a decision by the Andrews government to not allow media during his sudden trip to China, as the press receive no information about what will be discussed while he is over there.
Daniel Andrewsย headed offย for a secretive tour of China this last week, with the sudden declaration a few days ago meaning he becomes the first Australian state or national leader to visit the country since the start of the โpandemicโ.
Andrews landed in China for a four-day trip with the alleged aim of โstrengthening Victoriaโs standing among prospective Chinese studentsโ. Like that type of activity would require such an extensive trip!!!
The suspicions have grown even higher as details of his trip were released to the media without any mention of what will be discussed at meetings with three Chinese officials:
According to the schedule, Andrews will meet:
Brett Stevens, Commissioner for Victoria to Greater China
Graham Fletcher, Australian Ambassador to China
Li Xukui, Vice President, Chinese Peopleโs Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries,
Huai Jinpeng, Minister of Education
Dr Yin Yong, Mayor of Beijing
He is joined by the secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Jeremi Moule, and two staff members from his office.
But thatโs about it. Those are the only details that were given.
Dan Andrews,ย who was โre-electedโย for a third term back in November, has a rich โhistoryโ with China.
A such, many haveย spoken outย against this sudden trip by the state Premier abroad.
Despite these criticisms, however, Dan doesnโt see any problems with taking such a trip during these strange times.
To make things even worse, no journalists are allowed to attend alongside Dan on his trip, which is an immediate red flag and has been openly condemned as an attack against press freedom in Australia.
NO MEDIA ALLOWED
The Andrews government has faced criticism over its decision not to bring Victorian journalists on the trip.๏ปฟ
Karen Percy, President of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, said scrutiny was crucial when it came to overseas trips:
Tensions between the two nations are now rising once again following theย signing of the AUKUS agreementย earlier this month, which was heavily criticised by Beijing.
Andrewsโ visit is also the first by an Australian politician toย Chinaย since the signing of the deal.
Yet, we are not allowed cameras over there to see what Dan is discussing with these foreign officials?
What is there to hide during a time when they areย calling for warย with China.. right?
Of course, for those who have been calling him โDictator Danโ or โCommie Danโ for years, this does not come as a surprise.
Danโs Victoria was the only state in Australia to sign up to the international โBelt & Roadโ trade plan, even extending the partnership in 2018, before the federal government had to step in and force a cancellation.
Danโs lockdown measures also look like something straight out of a militarised Chinese regime.
Now, during a time whenย Chinese made cameras are being removed from militarily sensitive sitesย andย apps like Tiktok facing a potential ban, Dan heads over.
Individuals are absolutely right to have suspicions about this man and this trip.
We will have to wait and see what the โofficialโ narrative is afterwards.