2019Australian intelligence agencies conclude that China is responsible for cyber attacks on Australia’s parliament, and its three biggest political parties during the May elections.
April 2020Australian PM Scott Morrison began to ask his fellow leaders around the world about the cause of the coronavirus epidemic. The British and French initially refuse to investigate, but over 100 countries support an inquiry.
April 15,Morrison is among the few people who sympathizes with Donald Trump’s criticisms about the World Health Organization (which the US president claims has biases towards China).
April 21,After he demanded that China be transparenter about the outbreak, China’s Embassy accuses Peter Dutton, Australia’s foreign minister of “ignorance” and “bigotry”,
April 23,: Australia’s agriculture minister David Littleproud calls for G20 nations to campaign against the ‘wet markets’ which are common in China and linked to the earliest coronavirus cases.
April 26,: Chinese ambassador Cheng Jingye hints at a boycott of Australian wine and beef and says tourists and students might avoid Australia ‘while it’s not so friendly to China’. Canberra rejects this threat and warns Beijing about ‘economic coercion.
April 11China bans imports of beef from four major meat processors in Australia. They account for over a third Australia’s $1.1 billion beef exports to China.
May 18,Despite the support of the World Health Organization for a partial investigation into this pandemic’s origin, China claims it’s not fair to Australia. China also imposes an 88% tariff on Australian barley. Australia may contest this tariff at the WTO.
April 21China has announced new import rules for iron ore. This could permit Australian imports, which are usually valued at $41billion annually to be subject to additional bureaucratic controls.
June 5Beijing urges Australian tourists to avoid Australia because of racism and violence directed at the Chinese regarding Covid-19.
June 9Students are warned by the Chinese Ministry of Education to be careful about Australia because of alleged racism.
June 19Australia is being attacked cyber-wise by a foreign country, which sources claim is China. Morrison states that cyber-attacks have been directed at government officials and schools as well, industry, and hospitals.
July 9, 2009 Australia offers to suspend extradition treaty Hong Kong, and extend visas for 10,000 Hong Kongers already here. This is in response to China’s new national security law that effectively prohibits protest.
August 18, 2008China begins a 12-month investigation to find out if wines are being dumping in Australia. It is an important threat to the industry worth $6 billion.
August 26Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia, announces that he will pass legislation to prevent territories and states from signing agreements with foreign powers. This would be against Australia’s international policy. It is targeted at China, according to analysts.
October 13, 2009 Trade Minister Simon Birmingham says he’s investigating reports that Chinese customs officials have informally told state-owned steelmakers and power plants to stop Aussie coal, leaving it in ships off-shore.
November 2, 2008 Agriculture Minister David Littleproud reveals China is holding up Aussie lobster imports by checking them for minerals.
November 3, 2009 Barley, sugar, red wine, logs, coal, lobster and copper imports from Australia unofficially banned under a directive from the government, according to reports.
November 18, 2008 China has released a bizarre list of 14 grievances against Australia.
November 27, 2009Australian coal exports from China dropped 96% in the first 3 weeks of November. The 82 vessels carrying 8.8 million tonnes of coal were left floating at Chinese ports after being denied entry.
November 28, 2008 Beijing imposed a 212 per cent tariff on Australia’s $1.2 billion wine exports, claiming they were being ‘dumped’ or sold at below-cost. Both Chinese and Australia deny this claim.
October 30 Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lijian Zhao posted a doctored image showing a grinning Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of an Afghan child. This outraged Australians.
December 12 Chinese blacklist includes Australian coal.
December 24, 2009 China suspends imports of Australian timber from NSW and WA after local customs officers say they found pests in the cargo.
December 11, 2021 Australia blocks $300million construction deal that would have seen state-owned China State Construction Engineering Corporation takeover Probuild. Due to national security concerns, the bid was canceled.
February 5, 2021 China confirms Melbourne journalist and single mother Cheng Lei has been formally arrested after being detained in August, 2020.
23 February 2021China has accused Australia of participating in the ‘axis white supremacy’ along with Canada, USA and NZ.
April 11, 2021A Communist Party newspaper editor accuses Australia of genocide.
March 15, 2021 Trade Minister Dan Tehan announced he wants the World Trade Organisation to help mediate discussions between the two countries over the trade dispute.
April 21, 2021 Marise Perayne, Australia’s Foreign Minister announces that Australia is withdrawing from the controversial Belt and Road agreement with China. She uses new veto power.
June 6, 2021 China indefinitely suspends all strategic economic talks with Australia, blaming the Morrison Government’s attitude towards the relationship. China has cut off diplomatic contact with Beijing in the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue. This also prohibits key officers from discussing matters below ministerial levels.
June 22, 2021China is trying to ambush Australia, pushing for the Great Barrier Reef to be declared ‘in Danger’
September 15, 2021The AUKUS security agreement between the US, Australia and the UK is announced. It will provide submarine-powered nuclear-powered subs for the Australian navy to combat China’s growing influence in the Indo Pacific. Beijing reacts with anger and fury to the announcement.