Newly appointed consul general in Perth Long Dingbin urges Australia to view China as ‘an opportunity’

China’s newly appointed consul general in Perth says he believes the United States “will not go to war” with China over Taiwan. In his first interview since arriving in Perth last month, Long Dingbin also urged Australia to view a “stronger” China as “an opportunity, not a threat”. The West Australian sat down with Mr Long at his Perth residence last week as bilateral relations between Canberra and Beijing continued to sink to new lows. THREAT OF WAR Mr Long was posted to Perth after four years as China’s consul-general in Lahore, Pakistan. He succeeds Dong Zhihua, who returned to China last May for health reasons. In recent weeks, tension over trade sanctions against Australian exports including western rock lobster, barley and wine has shifted to speculation about the risk of conflict between the US and China. Although Home Affairs secretary Michael Pezzullo didn’t name any adversaries when he last month warned the “drums of war” were beating louder, Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the potential for conflict with China over Taiwan “should not be discounted”. Most recently, China suspended the China-Australia Strategic Dialogue, in what was perceived as retaliation for the Morrison Government tearing up Victoria’s Belt and Road deal with Beijing. Asked for his reaction to the talk of war, Mr Long said: “War is not a good choice. “I think everybody knows we had the First World War, the Second World War and later we had the Korean Peninsula War and Vietnam War and Iraqi War and Afghanistan War. “War is not is not a good choice ... war is not a good option. We should be careful.” Mr Long said Australia should view China’s progress “rationally” and as “an opportunity, not a threat”, adding: “I think that’s the point. Actually, in the history of China and the Chinese, the Chinese love peace and the Chinese do not like wars.” Asked if if China would be willing to go to war with the US over Taiwan, an island which China’s Communist Party sees as a breakaway province, he replied: “First, the USA will not go into the war. We can see from the history (that) the USA is the last one to join the war, to take part in the war, right — the First World War, the Second World War.” MARK MCGOWAN While he was isolating in Sydney, Mr Long was contacted by the Premier’s office to arrange a face-to-face meeting between the pair in Perth. Mr McGowan has repeatedly called for the Federal Government to “reset” the relationship with China, warning the breakdown put the nation’s prosperity at risk. “Frankly, that sort of (war) language, when you’re dealing with a superpower, it’s not wise,” Mr McGowan said recently. Mr Long said he was moved by the Premier’s kindness and described WA as Australia’s “economic powerhouse”. “The West Australians are very friendly and very kind,” he said. “When I arrived in Perth, I am impressed by their kindness and friendship. And so, as consul-general here, I will try my best to promote the friendship between China and Western Australia and the co-operation between China and Western Australia during my stay.” BILATERAL RELATIONS Mr Long said next year marked 50 years since China and Australia established diplomatic ties, which had benefited both nations. He said the “difficulties” over the past 12 months were “not caused by the Chinese society”, but by how “some Australians” viewed China’s rise. “After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, we have made great progress and achievements in all respects, especially in economy. Now, we are the second largest economy and also we are becoming stronger and stronger,” he said. “Some Australians are not feeling comfortable, so they look at China and China’s development not objectively and rationally. They think China’s progress (and) achievements are not opportunities, but threats. I think that’s the main cause.” He said restrictions had been imposed on investment from Chinese enterprises, as well as the “suppressing” of Chinese technology firms and lobbying for other countries to follow suit, a “gross interference in China’s internal affairs” and a “deliberate hyping up of China’s threat by some politicians”. “It is not China who makes the trouble for the trade relations, but the Australian side who set the hurdles or blocks for the trade relations between our two countries,” he said. “I hope we have good relations. I hope that we have good co-operations, such as economic co-operations, because I’ve just arrived here — that’s what I want to see.” IRON ORE China’s vast coronavirus stimulus program has been widely crediting for the soaring demand for iron ore, which is pumping more than $10 billion in mining royalties into State Government coffers this year. As Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivered his Budget last week, the steel-making ingredient reached a new high of $US230 as Treasury officials forecast the price would stay higher for longer than expected. Mr Long said he didn’t know too much about Australian resources before he arrived in Perth, but conceded he was concerned about the price of WA’s most important commodity. “Western Australia is the biggest supplier and the price is going up steadily recently. I think one reason is there’s great demand. Not a demand of China, I think the demand of the world because the economy is now recovering,” he said, adding that “investments” motivated by “profit” were driving up the price. Asked if iron ore exports could be a victim of the worsening relationship, Mr Long replied: “Many companies focus on iron ore trade. I’m also concerned, but in my opinion iron ore will not be affected, so far.” He added: “That’s my wish. I wish that our bilateral relations will be brought back to the (normal) track and our economic co-operations and trade will be developing normally. Especially next year, (when) we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic ties.” COVID-19 Mr Long said the consulate was focused on the potential for a rise in racism against Chinese Australians during the pandemic, but he’d yet to receive information it was a worsening problem in Perth. He said Australia remained a good destination for tourism and education and he hoped once the pandemic was under control and the border opened, Chinese tourists and university students would return to WA. It’s been 13 months since Foreign Minister Marise Payne led calls for a global inquiry to be held into the origins of the COVID-19. Asked where he thought the virus originated, Mr Long said it was not his place to comment as he was not an expert. “I think anyone who is not an expert should not say anything about the origin of the COVID-19,” he said. “That’s my view. I think that is the job of the doctors and professors and experts. That’s their job, not our job.”