China calls Australia 'gum stuck to sole of its shoe'

China calls Australia 'gum stuck to sole of its shoe'

Angry at Australia's efforts to investigate coronavirus, China calls it gum to be scraped off the sole of its shoe

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) - After threats of a boycott by Chinese consumers failed to have the desired effect, Chinese state-run media on Monday (April 27) bitterly described Australia as "gum stuck to the bottom of China's shoe."

Last week, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an investigation into the World Health Organization's (WHO's) botched handling of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19), which would include the appointment of investigators who would be handed the same powers as "weapons inspectors , "reported SBS News. Because the investigators would have the power to enter the country without invitation, they could potentially expose coverups and missteps by Chinese officials, unnerving Beijing.

In a Sunday (April 26) interview published by The Australian Financial Review, Ambassador Cheng Jingye was cited as saying that Chinese were "frustrated, dismayed and disappointed with" Australia's proposed inquest. He then warned that Chinese tourists "might have second thoughts" and that people might ask themselves "Why should we drink Australian wine? Eat Australian beef?"

Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham on Monday rebuffed the threats of boycotts by saying "Australia is no more going to change our policy position on a major public health issue because of economic coercion or threats of coercion than we would change our policy positions in matters of national security, "reported Newsweek. He added that Australians expect that a disease that has killed hundreds of thousands of people around the world "warrants transparency and investigation to prevent it from happening again."

That same day, the editor of Chinese State-run mouthpiece the Global Times, Hu Xijin, complained on Weibo about Australia's teaming up with the U.S. to demand an investigation into the start of the outbreak in China. He hinted that China would consider cutting back on business dealings with Australia and pulling out its legions of students from the country.

He then wrote that Australia has become a meddlesome thorn in China's side by "stirring the pot." He then compared Australia to an annoying piece of gum under China's heel: "It's kind of like chewing gum stuck to the sole of China's shoes, sometimes you have to find a rock to scrape it off."