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Australia-China relations hit new low over fake Afghanistan photo
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for social media platform Twitter to take down a doctored picture of an Australian soldier purportedly slitting the throat of an Afghan child.
The photo was posted on Sunday by a senior Chinese official and has since sparked an international incident while the official, Lijian Zhao, has since pinned the inflammatory post to the top of his official Twitter account.
Retaliating to Morrison’s request, China’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday Australia should be ashamed of its war crimes in Afghanistan.
Beijing’s The Morning Star reported Tuesday that China has asked Australia to apologize to the Afghan people for the alleged war crimes their troops committed.
According to The Morning Star, Beijing also scorned Australia’s demand for an apology for the image posted by Lijian Zhao, who is one of China’s Foreign Ministry spokesmen.
“Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians and prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts and call for holding them accountable,” Lijian Zhao wrote above the picture that has since sparked an international incident.
He was commenting on an Australian war crimes report, which found Australian troops unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers and civilians.
On the other hand, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Australia should “reflect deeply, bring the perpetrators to justice … and solemnly promise they will never commit such crimes again.”
Lijian Zhao has meanwhile been slinging insults at Australia all year and has in the process been making a name for himself.
Until recently, Zhao was a diplomat in the US and Pakistan and according to the UK’s Daily Mail has become known for his bombastic attitude, which won him a promotion to deputy director of Beijing’s ‘Information Department’.
For the past few months he has specifically focused on Australia, especially as relations between the two countries are at an all time low.
The Daily Mail reports that Zhao has slammed Australia in recent months for allegedly spreading misinformation and accused its leaders of being ‘hysterical’ about Chinese spying.
Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern came to Australia’s defense and chided Beijing for the post.
Calling the tweet “unfactual,” Ardern told reporters on Tuesday that her administration had contacted Beijing “directly” to raise objections over the controversial image, shared on Sunday by Zhao Lijan.
“There is an exchange that’s happening between Australia and China, it will of course tap into spaces where, as a general principle, we may have concerns and will raise those,” the PM said.
In this case, an image has been used that is not factually correct, that is not a genuine image. So we have raised that directly with Chinese authorities, she said.
Former U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has questioned whether Pakistan pursued a “double game” during the war in Afghanistan, following recent remarks by Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif about Islamabad’s role after the September 11 attacks.
Speaking in Pakistan’s parliament, Asif said the country had effectively “rented itself to the United States” by aligning with Washington in the U.S.-led war on terror.
Responding to the comments, Khalilzad noted that while Pakistan was receiving U.S. military and financial assistance, it was also accused of providing sanctuary to groups fighting American and allied forces in Afghanistan. He questioned whether this amounted to playing both sides of the conflict.
Khalilzad further asked whether Pakistani authorities may have received benefits or “rent” from another power in return for offering safe haven to anti-U.S. fighters, suggesting that clear answers could provide greater insight into regional policies during the Afghanistan war.
His remarks came a day after Asif said that previous wars in Afghanistan were driven by political interests rather than long-term stability.
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US Vice President praises Azerbaijan’s role in Afghanistan war
Vance noted that many Americans may not be aware that Azerbaijani forces were among the last to leave Afghanistan.
US Vice President J.D. Vance has praised Azerbaijan’s contribution during the war in Afghanistan, describing the partnership between Washington and Baku as highly significant.
Speaking during a joint meeting and press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Vance conveyed the respect of the US President to both Aliyev and the people of Azerbaijan. He said the relationship between the two countries has been “an underestimated but very, very important partnership and friendship” for the United States.
Vance noted that many Americans may not be aware that Azerbaijani forces were among the last to leave Afghanistan.
He highlighted Azerbaijan’s supportive role in the global war on terrorism, stating that its troops fought alongside US forces in Afghanistan.
The US Vice President emphasized that Washington seeks not only to express appreciation for Azerbaijan’s past cooperation but also to turn the page and open a new chapter in bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Ministry of Public Health announced on Tuesday it has signed a cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Higher Education aimed at expanding scientific, research, educational, and technical cooperation.
At the signing ceremony held in Kabul, Noor Jalal Jalali, Minister of Public Health, said that the agreement would lead to significant improvements in the capacity-building of students and doctors, ensure that research is conducted based on evidence, and enable the collection of accurate data.
Meanwhile, Neda Mohammad Nadeem, Minister of Higher Education, described the agreement as beneficial to the public and to both institutions, stressing the need to train individuals at universities who can contribute to social development and make the country self-sufficient in the public health sector.
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