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WORLD NEWS Thursday 18 June 2020
Australia accuses China and Russia of virus disinformation

By ROD McGUIRK "The best way to resolve
Associated Press and to work through differ-
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) ences is through dialogue,
— China and Russia have and Australia is ready and
used the anxiety around willing to have that ma-
the coronavirus pandemic ture, sensible dialogue that
to undermine Western de- grownups have even when
mocracies by spreading you have differences of
disinformation online, Aus- opinion," he added.
tralia's foreign minister said. Australia claimed vindica-
The disinformation contrib- tion when the World Health
uted to a "climate of fear Organization last month
and division" when the bowed to calls from most of
world needed cooperation its member states to launch
and understanding, For- an independent probe into
eign Minister Marise Payne how it managed the inter-
said in a speech at Austra- national response to the
lian National University, a coronavirus. The evaluation
text of which was released would stop short of looking
by her office late Tuesday. into contentious issues such
"Concerningly, we have as the origins of the virus,
seen disinformation pushed which was initially identified
and promoted around the after an outbreak in China
coronavirus pandemic and late last year.
around some of the social Payne acknowledged
pressures that have been In this May 18, 2020, file photo, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne comments in Penrith, there were critics who ar-
exacerbated by the pan- Australia. gued that Australia should
demic," Payne said. Associated Press have gathered powerful
"It is troubling that some allies before it antagonized
countries are using the pan- spokesman Zhao Lijian re- manipulations of the epi- to the pandemic. China with demands for
demic to undermine liberal jected Payne's accusations demic in disregard of the Some suspect that China's transparency.
democracy to promote and said that China had facts and simply out of its decision two weeks ago "There were those who said
their own more authoritar- "never used disinformation own political interest," Zhao to sentence an Australian that by speaking out, by
ian models," she added. to improve our image, and said. man to death seven years seeking a review, we made
Payne referred to a Euro- there is no need for us to do Payne last week rejected after his arrest for drug traf- ourselves a target and
pean Union commission so, either." as disinformation China's ficking is also linked to the brought upon ourselves
report last week that said "Many facts have proved warning to its citizens bilateral rift. an unnecessary cost for
"foreign actors and certain that it is the Australian side against visiting Australia Trade Minister Simon Bir- a cause that would have
third countries, in particu- that is suitable for the label because of pandemic-re- mingham said he was dis- been championed any-
lar Russia and China," are of disinformation instead of lated racism. appointed that his Chinese way by others whose size
flooding Europe with "tar- China," Zhao told reporters China has also banned counterpart has yet to ac- and stature made them
geted influence operations at a daily briefing, citing beef exports from Austra- cept his phone calls one more suitable standard-
and disinformation cam- no examples but referring lia's largest abattoirs and month after China placed bearers," she said.
paigns." It cited dangerous to allegations widely dis- ended the trade in Austra- 80% tariffs on Australian "There are times to pursue
misinformation like claims seminated by China of dis- lian barley with prohibitive barley. quiet diplomacy behind
that drinking bleach can crimination and violence tariffs in what is widely re- "It's frustrating, it's more the scenes. But there are
cure the disease and that against Chinese in Austra- garded as punishment for disappointing in the sense also times to voice our con-
washing hands does not lia. Australia's advocacy for an that I think it is lost opportu- cerns and persuade others
help prevent its spread. "Frankly speaking, Australia independent inquiry into nity," Birmingham told the of the need for a course of
Chinese foreign ministry conducted such political the origins and responses National Press Club. action," she added.q

NATO chief says US to consult allies on future troop plans

By LORNE COOK in Germany, from around sult with other allies as we
Associated Press 34,500 personnel down move forward."
BRUSSELS (AP) — The United to 25,000. Members of his "No final decision has been
States remains commit- own party have criticized made on how and when to
ted to its European allies the move as a gift to Rus- implement the U.S. inten-
and has pledged to con- sia and a threat to U.S. na- tion," Stoltenberg said.
sult them on any future U.S. tional security. Germany is Germany wasn't notified of
troop moves in Europe, a hub for U.S. operations in the move, which came af-
NATO Secretary-Gener- the Middle East and Africa. ter Trump branded its NATO
al Jens Stoltenberg said Speaking after chairing a ally "delinquent" for failing
Wednesday, after President video meeting of NATO de- to pay enough for its own
Donald Trump's surprise an- fense ministers, Stoltenberg defense, by falling short of
nouncement that he plans said that Defense Secre- a goal set in 2014 for mem-
to pull thousands of person- tary Mark Esper "stated bers to halt budget cuts
nel out of Germany. very strongly that of course and move toward spend- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a video
Trump said Monday that the U.S. stays committed ing at least 2% of gross na- conference of NATO Defense Minister at the NATO headquarters
he is ordering a major re- to European security, and tional product on defense in Brussels, Wednesday, June 17, 2020.
duction in troop strength the United States will con- by 2024.q Associated Press