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‘China is the modern bully’: Joe Hockey reveals the truth of Australia-China relationship
Former US Ambassador Joe Hockey has revealed Australia’s relationship with China has been strained for far longer than has been reported. Mr Hockey said China had been attempting economic coercion against Australia during his time as Treasurer, which he pushed back on in a conversation with Xi Jinping. “I looked him in the eyes as he was puffing a cigarette and said: ‘here’s the deal’,” Mr Hockey told Sky News Australia. However, Mr Hockey was positive about the transformation the country has undergone in the past century. “I’ve been going to China since I was about 14 years of age, and I’ve seen the greatest transformation in the lives of the most number of people in the history of humanity,” he said. “China is a remarkable story, and it’s a positive story. The problem is, Beijing has gone off-piste. It’s focused more on preserving the power of the Communist Party than doing what’s right for the future of China. The former ambassador stressed the importance of strength when dealing with China, noting Australia needed to “continue the path”. “To focus on standing up to the bully … and China is the modern bully.”
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