Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know Australians would be disgusted at the gutter Tweet from the Chinese Communist Party today targeting the Australian defence forces. The fake image misrepresents a soldier murdering a child. The Chinese Communist Party's Tweet has rightly been described by the Prime Minister as 'repugnant' and 'shameful' and he said that they should be 'ashamed' of this post. It is welcomed to know that this condemnation is bipartisan, with similar sentiments expressed by the Leader of the Opposition.

The Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Lijian Zhao, removes any ambiguity that it was the indulgence of a rogue official by Tweeting it from his account. The Australian government and the Chinese Communist Party may not always see eye to eye on important issues but, even in the most heated disagreements, there is no proximity in parallel. Normally in our disagreement, we are respectful to ensure that anything we say avoids China losing face. Today, the Chinese Communist Party removed it from itself.