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Warning: This article contains graphic content.
- Tensions between Australia and China have ramped up yet again after Beijing published a fake image of an Australian soldier harming an Afghan child
- Prime Minister Scott Morrison blasted the move as “repugnant” and demanded the picture be taken down and an apology issued
- China is standing firm though, refusing to remove the image which was shared by one of its officials on Twitter and accusing Australia of hypocrisy
- Beijing has seized on recent reports that over a dozen Australian SAS soldiers murdered 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners
- The nation insists Australia has no right to lecture them on human rights violations considering these soldiers actions
- The fake photo is the latest in a series of attack by China, who recently imposed harsh tariffs on Australian wine
Australian-Chinese relations have hit a new low, with Beijing refusing to apologise for a fake image one of its officials published showing an Australian soldier harming an Afghan child.
The graphic photo has been doctored to show an SAS member getting ready to cut the throat of the young child while standing on both the Afghan and Australian flags.
Source: Twitter
It was tweeted out by Chinese Official Lijian Zhao, who is a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry Department within the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison heavily condemned the post, labelling it “repugnant”, and demanding it be retracted and an apology issued.
“The Chinese government should be totally ashamed of this post,” The Prime Minister stated.
“It is a false image and a terrible slur on our great defence forces and the men and women who have served in that uniform for over 100 years,” he added.
“There are undoubtedly tensions that exist between China and Australia, but this is not how you deal with them,” the PM added.
Despite the strong words from Scott Morrison, the Chinese official who tweeted the fake photo has refused to remove the image.
Instead, Beijing has accused Australia of hypocrisy and urged the nation to do some “soul searching” about its own human rights violations.
It comes after a recent Federal Government report confirmed up to 19 SAS soldiers were suspected of killing 39 Afghan civilians and prisoners during the war in Afghanistan.
China has jumped on the report as evidence Australia should not be interfering in its domestic policy, such as the situation in Hong Kong as well as its treatment of its Muslim population.
“The Australian side has been reacting so strongly to my colleague’s tweet. Why is that? Do they think that their merciless killing of Afghan civilians is justified but the condemnation of such ruthless brutality is not? Afghan lives matter,” CCP official Hua Chunying said.
The graphic, doctored photo is just the latest in a long line of back and forth between the two nations, with China escalating its attacks on Australia after the PM suggested an investigation be launched into the origins of COVID-19.
Among the moves against Canberra are China’s punishing new tariffs on Australian wine — as well as similar restrictions on other goods such as barley, seafood and coal.
