China warns Australia of ‘lasting punishment’ after cartoon shows soldier on top of dead Afghan with ‘human rights’ sign
CHINA has published a new mocking cartoon showing an Aussie soldier standing on a dead Afghan as the bitter feud between the two nations deepens.
Communist Party newspaper The Global Times carried an editorial which warned Canberra would "pay the price" and face "lasting punishments" for standing up to Beijing.
China and Australia have seen relations plunge this year amid rows over trade, human rights, 5G, the coronavirus pandemic and Hong Kong.
The latest chapter in the ongoing saga came as The Global Times - which is often seen as the unfiltered mouthpiece the Chinese regime - published the cartoon blasting Australia.
Newspaper editor Hu Xijin, whose publication has a circulation of 1.5million, a pictured of an Aussie soldier standing on a hidden corpse while carrying a sign reading "human rights".
Australia's armed forces have been under scrutiny after a recent report found its special forces allegedly unlawfully killed 39 civilians during operations in Afghanistan.
A picture also emerged purporting to show an Australian SAS soldier drinking beer from a dead Taliban fighter's prosthetic leg.
The latest cartoon sought to accuse Australia of hypocrisy as it has previously criticised China's record over human rights - including the suspected genocide of Uighur Muslims.
In an editorial, state media slammed a call by Australian politicians for a boycott on Chinese goods as a "hysterical paper cat" and added "they seem to be living in a century ago".
"If Australia’s values do not include respect for a country with a population of 1.4billion, Chinese society will help the Australians establish such a concept, regardless of how long it will take. We have enough patience," said.
"Chinese society strongly advocates resolute and lasting punishments against Australia and to let the world see clearly - one will eventually pay a price for taking the US side and requiting kindness with ingratitude toward China."
China has been furious with Australia since Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, which is believed to have kicked off in Chinese city Wuhan.
And it was already unhappy with the nation after Chinese tech firm Huawei was banned from involvement in Australia's new 5G network.
China and Australia's tit-for-tat row has seen Beijing impose punitive tariffs on Canberra's exports - such as beef, lobsters, coal, timber and copper.
Relations hit a new low when China's foreign ministry spokesman tweeted a fake image of an Australia soldier about to slit an Afghan child's throat in response to allegations of war crimes.
Chinese official Zhao Lijian accompanied the picture with the caption: "Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers."
He added: "We strongly condemn such acts, & call for holding them accountable.”
'OFFENSIVE TO EVERY AUSSIE'
Aussie PM Morrison called the image "repugnant" and said Zhao's tweet was "“utterly outrageous" while being "deeply offensive to every Australian".
The PM said his government had contacted Twitter to ask the firm to take it down, but it remains live and even pinned to the top of Lijian's profile.
The tweet does not have any warning labels - despite Twitter increasingly taking action on claims it deems false being spread by US politicians such as Donald Trump.
The Global Times also published a second editorial blasting Morrison, branding him "arrogant and narcissistic" for his reaction.
"Some Australian politicians believe it is the West's unique power and right to accuse a country of killing innocent lives and trampling on human rights," the said.
"Even if they have problems in this regard, only they can criticise themselves, but they believe it is not Chinese diplomats' right to express their shock over Australian soldiers."
It also again took aim at the so-called Five Eyes Alliance, which includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States and Britain.
The article fumed: "Those countries hope that China will resign itself to their provocation and suppression."
China previously targeted the alliance with bizarre threats to "poke the eyes" of the five nations amid the row over China's actions in Hong Kong.
Morrison has acknowledged that relations between the China and Australia have been strained but added: "This is not how you deal with them."
China has seen a new strain of assertive foreign relations in 2020 as it comes under scrutiny over the pandemic and its treatment of the Uighurs.
Leaked documents this week revealed China allegedly suppressed coronavirus data to "protect" its image over the initial outbreak in Wuhan.
And meanwhile, China are accused has been accused of torturing and detaining the Muslim minority Uighur group in Xinjiang province - with authorities accusing them of "terrorism".
US president-elect Joe Biden's team have vowed his administration will stand "shoulder to shoulder" against China when it takes power in January.
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And it comes as US intelligence officials said China is stepping up efforts to influence the incoming team of president elect Biden.
William Evanina, from the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said it was an influence campaign "on steroids".
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Tensions between China and the US have been strained under President Trump, especially as he branded Covid-19 the "China virus".
China appears to have mostly returned to normal as it claims to have beaten the pandemic which has killed more than 1.5million people worldwide.