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Updated October 10th, 2021 at 20:43 IST

China slams former Australian PM Tony Abbott for anti-Beijing remarks in Taiwan

China on Saturday, 9 October slammed the former Australian Prime minister Tony Abbott as a “failed and pitiful” politician for delivering anti-Beijing remarks.

Reported by: Aanchal Nigam
ex-Australian PM
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
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China on Saturday, October 9, slammed the former Australian Prime minister Tony Abbott as a “failed and pitiful” politician for delivering anti-Beijing remarks at a conference in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei. While China claims the self-ruled democratic island as its own ‘breakaway province,’ Abbott said on 8 October at the annual Yushan Forum that Beijing could lash out “disastrously” soon considering the plunging economy, creaking finances and ageing population. Following Abbott’s remarks at the event organised by the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation, the Chinese embassy in Australia denounced the ex-Australian PM for “insane performance.”

The Chinese embassy in Australia's spokesperson said, “Tony Abbott is a failed and pitiful politician. His recent despicable and insane performance in Taiwan fully exposed his hideous anti-China features. This will only further discredit him.”

Abbott’s remarks came in the backdrop of China sending out almost 150 military aircraft close to Taiwan earlier this month amid the US and other allied forces organising drills in the South China Sea, which is also condemned by Beijing. Even Taiwan’s defence minister Chiu Kuo-cheng warned that China could launch a “full scale” invasion of the island by as early as 2025. Abbott said China could “lash out disastrously quite soon.”

“Sensing that its relative power might have peaked with its population ageing, economy slowing and finances creaking, it is quite possible that Beijing could lash out disastrously quite soon. Our challenge is to try to make sure that the unthinkable remains unlikely and that the possible does not become the probable,” said Abbott.

Taiwan warns of 'catastrophic consequences' if China takes over

Meanwhile, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has warned China of “catastrophic consequences” if the self-ruled democratic island should fall to Beijing’s aggression. China’s communist regime has grown more assertive about its claim on Taiwan with its military sending out dozens of aircraft inside the island’s restricted zone over the weekend. Taiwanese President’s remarks regarding defending the island’s democracy came in an essay published on October 5 amid the record-breaking incursions by Chinese warplanes.

Earlier, as per a report by The Guardian, Taiwan’s premier, Su Tseng-chang said that China’s “over the top” activity violated the regional peace adding that the island needs to be on a high alert. While China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) sent nearly 150 planes into Taiwan’s air defence identification (ADIZ) zone, Tsai stressed on island’s desire for peace in an article written for Foreign Affairs magazine.

IMAGE: AP

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Published October 10th, 2021 at 20:42 IST

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