Quote:
Originally Posted by Officemanager
Ok you say our PM is wrong in his tactic then please explain to all of us what our PM should have said or done?
|
I would have made a short and sharp statement. Point to the fact that the war crimes were self reported, and a free and democratic society that values human life will put the allegations to trial. And point to how we handle it differently to some of their human rights abuse. Done. But he fell for the bait and its now international headlines.
I think this guy sums it up well...
"Herve Lemahieu, director of the power and diplomacy program at the Lowy Institute, said Mr Morrison should not have responded to the "smear" and "low-blow" from a relatively junior Chinese official on Twitter.
He said Australia's response was "overly emotive and defensive" and played right into China's hands.
"We shouldn't deploy our top asset - head of government - to respond to a propaganda post from some junior level official in the Chinese Foreign Ministry. These guys seek attention and we have given it to them," Mr Lemahieu said.
"I would describe it as a smear and a sub-tweet, and I didn't think it merited a response from the Prime Minister. It's beneath the Prime Minister to have to react to that."
Mr Lemahieu said he believed the tweet was used as "bait to lure a response", and also to switch the debate from China's "blatant violation of the economic rules-based order" by imposing unfair tariffs on Australia.
"That [the tariffs] is the big story, and to me it looks like they are trying to switch the subjects and make Australia look like the villain. We shouldn't have fallen for it," he said."