[ad_1]
China ‘can never rule out’ use of force to stop Taiwan separation, says Xiao Qian
Back to Taiwan. Xiao Qian is asked about a new white paper released this morning which asserted China would “not renounce” the use of force and would take “all necessary measures” to retain the One China policy.
Can he explain what would constitute a “compelling circumstance” that would justify a use of force across the Strait?
Xiao reiterates Taiwan is “not an independent state” but a province of the People’s Republic of China. He says while they are waiting for a “peaceful unification”, China is willing to use any means necessary.
What does that mean? “You can use your imagination,” he says.
As for our approach to the question of the Taiwan, I think it’s consistent, clear and pretty open; we have [said] that on many occasions over the past several decades actually, that the people in the mainland, even in Taiwan, are Chinese. We’re both Chinese. And the Taiwanese are compatriots of China.
And the last thing we are ready to do is use force. That is one of the reasons why China has been so patient for several decades. We’re waiting for a peaceful unification.
But we can never rule out the option to use other means – so when necessary, when compelled, we are ready to use all necessary means. As to what does it mean, ‘all necessary means’? You can use your imagination, but … Chinese people are absolutely determined to protect our sovereignty, territorial integrity – we will never allow Taiwan to be separated from China.
Key events
Tamsin Rose
Opera House to be lit up in pink to honour Olivia Newton-John’s contributions to fighting cancer
The Sydney Opera House will glow pink tonight in honour of Olivia Newton-John and her contribution to cancer research.
New South Wales premier, Dominic Perrottet, announced the decision after Victorian landmarks were last night also lit up pink to mark the performer’s death.
He said:
Olivia Newton-John touched the hearts of so many people around the world with her music as well as her compassion and kindness – particularly toward people living with cancer.
She radiated with positivity in her lifetime and now our most famous performance space will shine in her honour.
The building will be lit from sunset.
Tory Shepherd
Senior Liberal installed as director of thinkthank says he ‘wasn’t part of the recruitment process’
Justin Bassi, a former senior Coalition adviser, says he wasn’t part of the process that installed him as executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
The ASPI council had a different “preferred candidate” but was overruled by then defence minister Peter Dutton.
On Sky News this afternoon, Bassi said:
I wasn’t part of the recruitment process, other than I put myself up as a candidate. I was found suitable and I do feel very, very proud to be the executive director of … Australia’s best think tank with some great researchers, great analysts and I’m looking forward to continuing to be the director of a great, great think tank.”
Read more about the “captain’s call” here.
The new independent senator David Pocock will use his balance of power position in the Senate to push for the ACT government’s $100m public housing debt to be waived as part of negotiations over Labor’s new housing policy.
Legislation for the government’s new $10bn Housing Australia Future Fund also faces resistance from the Greens, with the party’s housing spokesman, Max Chandler-Mather, saying the proposal is not “good enough” to secure support in the Senate.
Pocock’s move would mirror a similar deal struck by the Tasmanian independent senator Jacqui Lambie in negotiations over the Coalition’s three-stage tax cut plan in 2019, which resulted in Tasmania’s $150m social housing debt being wiped.
Read Sarah Martin’s full story here:
Developers, experts and health professionals call for national building code amendments on energy efficiency
Energy and climate experts, property developers, architects and health professionals have joined forces to call for a building code that will stop Australians living in “glorified tents”, AAP reports.
Ken Morrison, the chief executive of the Property Council of Australia, says the country has let itself fall behind international standards over the past 10 years and now is the time to catch up.
Advocates say strengthening energy provisions in the national code and mandating a 7-star minimum energy standard would reduce the cost of living, cut emissions and improve the quality of Australia’s housing stock.
The call for long-sought amendments to the National Construction Code comes two weeks ahead of a meeting of federal, state and territory ministers.
The CEO of the Climate Council, Amanda McKenzie:
This is Australia’s opportunity to improve its energy efficiency standards which will make our homes safer, more efficient, more affordable and help to address climate change. Many Australians are currently living in glorified tents.
The statement signed by more than 100 organisations says the stricter code would cut emissions by up to 78m tonnes by 2050 and reduce deaths during extremely cold or hot weather.
The move could also lower the cost of electricity grid upgrades by up to $12.6bn by 2050 and reduce poverty by ensuring higher standards and lower power bills in new social housing and private rentals.
Mandating the 7-star energy rating could slash the average household energy bill by up to $576 a year, according to official data.
Michael McGowan
NSW building commissioner’s resignation letter referred to Icac after mentions of revoked stop-work order
New South Wales premier, Dominic Perrottet, has told parliament the resignation letter of the state’s former building commissioner has been referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
The former commissioner, David Chandler, abruptly announced his resignation from the post last month, saying it was “time for a reset”.
But media reports have subsequently claimed he raised a stop-work order made against property developer Coronation Property, which hired former deputy John Barilaro after he left parliament, in the letter. The stop-work order was later lifted.
On Tuesday it was revealed that sacked minister Eleni Petinos had met with Coronation Property twice in June. The second meeting, which Barilaro attended, took place about a fortnight prior to the order being lifted.
Despite the second meeting being listed in Petinos’s ministerial diary, Barilaro has said it took place after he had left Coronation and both have said it was a social meeting.
Petinos said yesterday the meeting was “social in nature” and was only disclosed as part of her ministerial diary “out of an abundance of caution”.
She said:
The issuing and revocation of stop-work orders is a matter for the building commissioner, not the minister.
After previously insisting he had yet to see the letter, Perrottet told parliament he had now read it and been told by the department that “appropriate action” had been taken.
Perrottet said:
I’ve been advised by the secretary that appropriate action was taken by her in relation to the contents of the letter. Out of an abundance of caution the letter was provided to the Icac for information. I understand the letter is to be provided to the upper house tomorrow.
South Australia records nine Covid deaths
South Australia Health has released today’s Covid update.
There have been 1,881 new Covid cases recorded and nine further deaths.
There are 351 people being treated in hospital with the virus including six people in ICU.
National Covid summary: 133 deaths reported
Here are the latest coronavirus numbers from around Australia today, as the country records at least 133 deaths from Covid-19:
ACT
NSW
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
The Chinese ambassador has been gifted a sanctioned Australian wine by the Press Club, in a not-so-subtle nod to trade relations.
The gift to ambassador Xiao Qian after his speech to the @PressClubAust was a bottle of Penfolds Bin 389 courtesy of the club.
We’re told Penfolds has scored a win against a copycat winemaker in China. So an Australian wine seemed like the ideal gift. https://t.co/e3c77n4YzF
— David Crowe (@CroweDM) August 10, 2022
In Victoria, state opposition leader Matthew Guy is continuing to face scrutiny following the snap resignation of his (former) media director Lee Anderson earlier today.
Government scrutiny minister Danny Pearson:
“I know it might be difficult for Matthew Guy to arrange a press conference when he’s lost his media director, but the fundamental questions still have not been answered.” pic.twitter.com/NjwYDWYQrU
— Mitch Clarke (@96mitchclarke) August 10, 2022
CovidSafe contact-tracing app that found just two unique cases to be retired
Remember the $21m CovidSafe contact tracing app that was rolled out in the early days of the pandemic (several hundred years ago)?
Minister for health and aged care, Mark Butler, has announced it’s getting the scrap, after finding just two unique Covid cases.
We’ve acted to delete the Morrison Government’s failed COVIDSafe app. Scott Morrison said this app would be our “sunscreen” against COVID-19. All it did was burn through taxpayer’s money. pic.twitter.com/tyyj3Ovo9U
— Mark Butler MP (@Mark_Butler_MP) August 10, 2022
Read the full story here:
Matchstick grasshoppers to be released into Melbourne’s Royal park as part of biodiversity project
Now to some breaking grasshopper news.
Hundreds of tiny, flightless grasshoppers are being released into Melbourne’s Royal park as part of a pilot project to address the biodiversity emergency.
In a partnership with the University of Melbourne, the City of Melbourne are attempting to restore the local population of matchstick grasshoppers – a declining native Australian species that is extinct to the area.
The population will be monitored and assessed over the coming months, with grasshopper numbers hoped to “hop” into the thousands by 2023.
University of Melbourne’s Prof Ary Hoffmann said the “uniquely Australian species” had been part of Melbourne’s natural environment for hundreds of thousands of years, prominent in grassy areas of Melbourne that the Wurundjeri Willam managed with fire.
We look forward to these introductions being the start of a process to restore many other invertebrates that formerly called the city home.
‘Absolutely no room for compromise on the question of Taiwan’, ambassador says
The Press Club address has wrapped up.
It’s worth rewatching SBS journalist Helen Chen’s question, delivered in Mandarin Chinese to Xiao Qian.
Xiao finished on his hopes for the Australian government to “respect China’s territorial integrity and national unity” on Taiwan, making a bizarre analogy to Tasmania.
It’s an issue not to be compromised … it’s an issue so sensitive to China. If we can make compromise on many, many other issues, economic issues, trade issues, any other issues, there’s absolutely no room for us to compromise on the question of Taiwan. Because it’s a question of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Just like no Australian government would ever compromise on Australia’s territorial integrity. And just like maybe it’s not a good example, but Tasmania will be part of Australia, was, is. This involves territorial integrity.
[ad_2]
Source link
