Victoria premier Dan Andrews team hit back at claims the premier could be manipulated by China
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The Victorian government denies the premier could be manipulated by the Chinese government during his first visit to the country since the COVID-19 outbreak.
Daniel Andrews arrived in Beijing on Tuesday to begin a five-day visit to meet with senior officials on issues of trade and international students.
A government-distributed itinerary said Mr Andrews met with the vice president of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries on Tuesday.
The association was criticised in 2020 by former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who accused it of ‘co-opting subnational governments’ to ‘directly and malignly influence state and local leaders’.
Chinese media outlets this week aired old footage of Mr Andrews saying there needed to be respectful dialogue between China and Australia.
The Victorian government denies Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured in Tiananmen Square in 2015) could be manipulated by the Chinese government during his five-day visit to the country
The clips from 2017 were used in a video news story promoting the premier’s visit.
But Victorian Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson denied Mr Andrews was at risk of Chinese influence or interference.
‘I don’t think anyone has manipulated the premier ever,’ Mr Pearson told reporters on Wednesday.
‘The premier is his own man and the notion he’s some sort of Manchurian candidate is just laughable.’
Mr Pearson conceded he was not familiar with the Chinese friendship association but said he was confident the premier was focused on matters of trade and education.
‘It’s entirely appropriate and it’s very important that we build on those economic ties and linkages and develop those relations further,’ he said.
The assistant treasurer also denied there was a lack of transparency around the premier’s trip, despite no members of the media being invited to attend.
Mr Pearson said Victorian ministers were fronting up to journalists and the premier would answer questions when he returned to Melbourne on Saturday.
But Shadow Treasurer Brad Rowswell said he was deeply concerned about the secrecy surrounding the premier’s trip.
‘He says he’s working for Victorians. Well, demonstrate that to Victorians,’ Mr Rowswell told reporters on Wednesday.
‘Take a press pack with you. Be open. Let the sun shine in and be transparent about your dealings.’
:Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Daniel Andrews in Melbourne in 2017
Danny Pearson (pictured left with Bill Shorten) denied Mr Andrews was at risk of Chinese influence or interference
The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance also said reporters should have been part of the China trip, especially considering Australian foreign correspondents have been kicked out of the country.
‘Australia’s relationship with China is sensitive at the moment and you would think that would actually mean there’s more scrutiny, not less,’ MEAA federal media section president Karen Percy told AAP.
‘He should have been advocating to have a journalist with him in the true spirit of press freedom.’
Before he left for China, Mr Andrews told reporters a media contingent was not considered because there wouldn’t be any events to photograph or film.
But Ms Percy said journalists were not there for the photo opportunities.
‘Our role is to not allow propaganda from any government to go untested. Because governments try to put out their own point of view and it’s up to journalists to stress test that,’ she said.
Mr Andrews will also visit the Jiangsu and Sichuan provinces before returning to Melbourne on Saturday morning.
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