China purports to be global leader but is exhibiting behaviour which shows it is “immature” and “not ready to play a global leadership role”, according to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Peter Jennings.
It comes after Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian posted a doctored photo of an Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of a child.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has demanded China apologise for posting the image.
“This is an act of great immaturity,” Mr Jennings told Sky News host Peter Gleeson.
“Which really tells me that China is not yet ready to play the kind of global leadership role that it aspires to.”
Mr Jennings also said China’s behaviour is “counterproductive” to its broader interests.
“If the only way you can engage with China is to be completely subservient to them … how does Beijing imagine that it’s going to be winning hearts and minds out of that exercise?” he said.
“I think we’re stuck with it, this is what we’re going to have for at least the next half decade or so.”
