Australia Defends Handling of China-Solomons Deal; Makes Tax Pledge Ahead of Poll

Minggu, 24 April 2022 | 16:05 WIB
Australia Defends Handling of China-Solomons Deal; Makes Tax Pledge Ahead of Poll
[ILUSTRASI. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison arrives at Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan, November 17, 2020. REUTERS/Issei Kato ]
Reporter: Sumber: Reuters | Editor: Thomas Hadiwinata

KONTAN.CO.ID - SYDNEY, April 24 (Reuters) - Australia's government on Sunday defended its response to China's courtship of nearby Solomon Islands which culminated in a security pact, ahead of a general election next month where it had hoped to highlight its national security credentials.

Defence Minister Peter Dutton in a television interview attributed China's success to an uneven playing field involving tactics with which no Australian government could compete.

The pact, announced earlier this month, is seen as a major inroad for China in the resource-rich Pacific, where the United States has long been the dominant influence along with allies Australia and New Zealand.

China has said the pact will help the Solomon Islands maintain social order and cope with natural disasters and humanitarian relief. It said it poses no risk to the U.S., while the Solomon Islands said it will not undermine regional peace. Read full story

Still, the U.S. has said it would respond accordingly to any Chinese military presence in the region, while critics of Prime Minister Scott Morrison have called the pact Australia's biggest diplomatic failure in the Pacific since World War Two. Read full story

Baca Juga: Oil Falls, Post Nearly 5% Weekly Loss on Growth Concern

Dutton, in an interview with Sky News, said the pact follows a pattern of China's engagement around the world.

"If you look at what's happened in Africa, there are corrupt payments being made - we could never compete with that sort of playbook," Dutton said, without providing evidence.

He said he could not comment on whether corrupt payments had been made in the Solomons case.

"China's incredibly aggressive - the acts of foreign interference, the preparedness to pay bribes to get outcomes, and to beat other countries to deals - that's the reality of the modern China."

Speaking to journalists later in the day, Morrison said China building a military base on the Solomon Islands would be a "red line" for Australia.

Baca Juga: Frustration Grows, Nerves Fray in Shanghai's Lockdown Purgatory

"Working together with our partners in New Zealand and of course the United States, I share the same red line that the United States has when it comes to these issues," ABC News quoted the prime minister as saying.

"We won't be having Chinese military naval bases in our region on our doorstep."

The embassies of China and the Solomon Islands in Canberra did not respond to requests for comment outside business hours.

Morrison looked to deflect criticism by shifting the debate to his economic policy, promising to not introduce any taxes if re-elected, and to cap government tax revenue at 23.9% of gross domestic product.

The policy also involves giving workers A$100 billion ($72.4 billion) in tax relief over the next four years.

Australians head to the polls on May 21.

Bagikan

Berita Terbaru

Meski BI Rate Dipangkas 150 Basis Poin, Bunga Kredit Baru Turun 15 Basis Poin
| Jumat, 24 Oktober 2025 | 13:31 WIB

Meski BI Rate Dipangkas 150 Basis Poin, Bunga Kredit Baru Turun 15 Basis Poin

BI rate turun agresif, tapi bunga kredit masih tinggi. Transmisi kebijakan moneter ke perbankan berjalan lambat pada tahun ini.

Fase Konsolidasi & Efek Profit Taking, Inflow ETF Bitcoin dan Ethereum Terus Menurun
| Jumat, 24 Oktober 2025 | 09:21 WIB

Fase Konsolidasi & Efek Profit Taking, Inflow ETF Bitcoin dan Ethereum Terus Menurun

Penurunan dana ETF kripto belakangan ini juga lebih mencerminkan sikap hati-hati investor menjelang akhir tahun.

Bisnis Pengelolaan Dana Nasabah Tajir di Bank Semakin Bersinar
| Jumat, 24 Oktober 2025 | 08:55 WIB

Bisnis Pengelolaan Dana Nasabah Tajir di Bank Semakin Bersinar

Bisnis wealth management atau pengelolaan dana nasabah tajir perbankan terus menunjukkan pertumbuhan positif.​

Permintaan Masih Lemah, Kredit Korporasi Goyah
| Jumat, 24 Oktober 2025 | 08:50 WIB

Permintaan Masih Lemah, Kredit Korporasi Goyah

​Permintaan kredit perbankan di segmen debitur korporasi masih lemah karena pelaku usaha korporasi masih wait and see

Prospeknya Seksi, Setelah TOBA & MHKI, SPMA juga Bakal Masuk Bisnis Pengolahan Limbah
| Jumat, 24 Oktober 2025 | 08:30 WIB

Prospeknya Seksi, Setelah TOBA & MHKI, SPMA juga Bakal Masuk Bisnis Pengolahan Limbah

Untuk memuluskan agenda ekspansi, SPMA bakal menggelar Rapat Umum Pemegang Saham Luar Biasa (RUPSLB) pada 30 Oktober 2025. ​

Timah (TINS) Cari Mitra Penambangan di Laut
| Jumat, 24 Oktober 2025 | 08:20 WIB

Timah (TINS) Cari Mitra Penambangan di Laut

Inisiatif tersebut diharapkan dapat mendorong partisipasi pelaku usaha sekaligus memastikan pengelolaan SDA dilakukan secara bertanggung jawab.

Produsen Optimistis Bisa Capai Target
| Jumat, 24 Oktober 2025 | 08:16 WIB

Produsen Optimistis Bisa Capai Target

Asus Indonesia sangat optimistis dapat menuntaskan target penjualan 1 juta unit laptop hingga akhir 2025,

Tren Gerai Restoran Siap Saji Mulai Bergeser
| Jumat, 24 Oktober 2025 | 08:14 WIB

Tren Gerai Restoran Siap Saji Mulai Bergeser

Perubahan strategi gerai cepat saji yang kini lebih banyak bermigrasi ke lokasi suburban dan food court

Ekosistem Industri Udang Indonesia Terguncang
| Jumat, 24 Oktober 2025 | 08:11 WIB

Ekosistem Industri Udang Indonesia Terguncang

Industri udang nasional terdampak tarif tinggi Trump dan isu pencemaran radioaktif sehingga mengguncang ekosistem udang dari hulu hingga hilir

Penambang Nikel Ingin Aturan DHE Diperlonggar
| Jumat, 24 Oktober 2025 | 08:07 WIB

Penambang Nikel Ingin Aturan DHE Diperlonggar

Bagi perusahaan yang mengekspor produk olahan seperti ferronickel dan stainless steel, aturan sekarang cukup memberatkan.

INDEKS BERITA

Terpopuler