Sky News host Peta Credlin says one of the biggest consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is the “lasting change to attitudes” towards the Chinese Communist Party.
Ms Credlin said Chinese leaders have been for years the “acceptable face of Communism” which resulted in a gold-rush for Australia so long as our leaders turned a blind eye to some of Beijing’s domestic issues.
“But that’s all under a cloud now, some might even say it’s in tatters, but I don’t believe we’re at that stage yet,” she said.
She pointed to China’s cover up and lies regarding the initial outbreak of the coronavirus which “swiftly plunged much of the world into fear and near paralysis”.
“Then there was China’s hysterical reaction to Australia’s perfectly reasonable call for an independent investigation into the origins of this pandemic,” Ms Credlin said.
“Since then, China’s retaliation has been swift and targeted at our trade and economic vulnerabilities”.
China has recently placed a 200 per cent import tariff on Australian wines, while the Morrison government prepares to escalate trade action against China regarding its barley to the World Trade Organisation.
“So not only did we have a succession of arbitrary and capricious trade boycotts, but we also had successive rhetorical assaults, from so-called wolf-warrior Chinese officials, like being described as the chewing gum on China’s boot.
“Where it serves China’s interests, China will keep buying from us. But wherever it can, without damaging itself too much, China will keep trying to punish Australia for being an ally of America.
“And for being a country that won’t turn a blind eye to injustice, just because the perpetrator is powerful and can hurt us.”