[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] As Australia strengthens its anti-China front in line with U.S. containment efforts, China is replacing its ambassador to Australia.
On the 28th (local time), according to major foreign media, Marise Payne, Australia's Foreign Minister, announced that the Chinese ambassador to Canberra resigned on the 21st due to the deterioration of bilateral relations.
Chinese Ambassador Cheng Jingye recently left Australia, saying, "The difficult phase in China-Australia relations is heartbreaking," and added, "I hope both countries will work together to overcome obstacles and quickly restore bilateral relations to a normal track."
Minister Payne added that China is in the process of appointing a new ambassador to Australia.
The conflict between the two countries began when Australia, in 2018, aligned with the policy of the Trump administration in the U.S. and decided to exclude Chinese company Huawei's equipment from the 5G network construction.
Since then, in April last year, when Australia called for an investigation into the origin of the COVID-19 outbreak in China and raised accountability issues, the conflict escalated into a trade dispute.
China retaliated by banning imports of Australian beef, wine, barley, timber, coal, and copper ore, while Australia has strengthened its vigilance against China by lowering its dependence on China and forming security alliances with the U.S. and Indo-Pacific countries.
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