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China lodges ''stern representations'' with Australia over human rights comment

WION Web Team
New Delhi, IndiaWritten By: Bharat SharmaUpdated: Oct 30, 2019, 04:31 PM IST
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Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang. Photograph:(Reuters)

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Payne during a speech in Sydney on Tuesday said that Australia expects accountability from China on pressing issues like human rights.

The Foreign Ministry of China on Wednesday said that Beijing had asserted their dismay to Australia in view of the comments made by Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne's about the abuse of human rights in China.

"She [Payne is] commenting on Xinjiang issues for her political needs. This is not good and does not benefit the improvement and development of the two countries' relations. China has already lodged stern representations with Australia about this, to say that this way of doing things is very inappropriate", Geng Shuang, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry said.

Payne during a speech in Sydney on Tuesday said that Australia expects accountability from China on pressing issues like human rights, further adding that silence on these issues goes against Australia's national interests.

"We hope that the Australian side can reflect on and learn the lessons of the recent disturbances in Sino-Australian relations, and meet China halfway. Don't do anything which is like taking one step forward and two steps back", Shuang said in Beijing.

Stressful relations between Australia and China have disrupted bilateral trade worth more than $123.48 billion last year. 

(With inputs from Reuters)