Foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian is making remarks at a press briefing on April 7. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Australian government needs to listen to rational voices and abandon its cold war mentality and ideological prejudice, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday, in response to a recent call from Australian Industry Group Chief Executive Innes Willox for resorting to rational negotiations to ease China-Australia tensions.

The Australian government has for some time frequently taken a provocative and confrontational stance toward issues regarding Hong Kong, Xinjiang and Taiwan that implicate China's core interests and involve the country's major concerns, severely undermining China-Australia political mutual trust and the basis for bilateral cooperation, Zhao told a regular press conference in Beijing.

A rising number of far-sighted Australians have voiced concerns about this situation, and they have urged Australia to re-think its China policy and come up with fairly valuable suggestions, the spokesperson commented.

"It's hoped that the Australian government can face squarely to the cause of the frustration of bilateral ties, take China's concerns seriously, hearken to rational voices and abandon [its] cold war mentality and ideological prejudice," he continued.

He called for more efforts by Australia that would bode well for bilateral mutual trust and economic partnership, and that accord with the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides.

Global Times