A Koala and tree decorated with Chinese lanterns are seen at Wild Life Sydney Zoo, in Sydney, Australia, on Feb. 2, 2021. The Chinese lunar new year falls on Feb. 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

Relations between China and Australia have gone through a bleak year in 2020 suffering under Canberra's ill-conceived foreign policy. While Aussie anti-China media outlets and politicians relentlessly smashing bilateral relation, there are people in the country firmly committed to being friends of China even under pressure from inner forces. The friendship under tough times should be lauded, and will be remembered by the Chinese people.

In a recent dinner with a branch of the Australia China Business Council, Minister of the Chinese Embassy to Australia Wang Xining praised the valuable efforts of both people made during the tough fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, but also disappointedly pointed out that he has realized that "today, it is really difficult to be China's friend in Australia."

Under the guise of a fabricated China's threat to Australian sovereignty and security, ideology-skewed politicians and media outlets have been vilifying bilateral collaborations, said Wang, condemning that "those people abused the power in their hands to strike hard on China's friends in Australia, who were working so hard to enhance Australia's economic power, improve people's living standard, and store potential for future development." 

The chilly atmosphere has clouded prospect of normal bilateral exchange, and is the last thing that friends from both sides want to see.

Facing mounting pressure from domestic attacks, however, China's friends in Australia have still made great contribution to the tough recovery of Australian economy from the fallout of the health crisis. Under the coronavirus onslaught, the decline of Australia's export to China, its largest trading partner, was much lower than the overall contraction of its total exports in 2020, stabilized its trade performance and paved the way for its GDP rebound in the September quarter.

As Australia scheduled to release its GDP in December quarter soon which is widely forecasted to continue a path towards recovery, it should be noted that the rebound was not easy, and hardheaded people who have made actual contributions deserve praise, rather than some rabid politicians who "contribute" only roadblocks.

Facing unprecedented headwinds, the China's friends in Australia have had a tough year, but what they have contributed to the long-term growth of Australian economy cannot be erased, so as the cooperative potential between the two economies, which needs a basic prerequisite of mutual respect in order to be restored.

Trying to vilify China with lies while attempting to maintain sound economic relations, is not a realistic road for Canberra and will eventually hurts the Australian people who simply want to get ahead economically building a career or business.

The mutually beneficial ties between China and Australia are rooted much solid than the current headwinds. Following China's rapid growth across past decades, China's friends in Australia made huge contribution to the thriving of Australian economy, they will continue the efforts during the post-pandemic era and win Chinese people's praise. Those ideology-skewed anti-China forces who go against the development trend will be ditched and doomed to fail.