Australian PM Scott Morrison blasts China over ‘repugnant’ doctored image shared by Foreign Ministry

Scott Morrison said the Chinese government should be totally ashamed of this post

Credit: EPA

Scott Morrison, Australia’s Prime Minister, has demanded an apology from Beijing after China’s Foreign Ministry shared a doctored image depicting an Australian soldier cutting the throat of an Afghan child.

Describing the image shared on social media as “truly offensive” and "repugnant”, Mr Morrison urged China to delete the tweet. 

“The Chinese government should be totally ashamed of this post. It diminishes them in the world’s eyes… It is an absolutely outrageous and disgusting slur," he said.

"Australia is seeking an apology from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and we are seeking it be removed from Twitter.”

China’s Foreign Ministry had earlier posted the doctored image, showing the child with its face covered by the Australian flag and holding a lamb as what appears to be a special forces soldier holds a knife to their throat.

“Don’t be afraid we are coming to bring you peace,” the caption states.

The image was shared with a comment from Information Department, Foreign Ministry, spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Twitter: “Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians & prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts & call for holding them accountable.”

The image was shared on Twitter by Zhao Lijian

Credit: AP

The image referred to the recent revelations of the Brereton report, implicating Australian forces in the murder of 39 Afghan civilians or prisoners. There have been allegations that Australian forces cut the throats of two 14-year-old Afghan boys.

The latest row has taken Sino-Australian relations to a new low as the two countries spar over trade.

The Australian government had earlier vowed to take China to the World Trade Organisation after Beijing announced tariffs of over 200% on Australian wine.

Australia is China’s number one source of wine imports and the market is worth A$1.2billion (£660 million) a year to Australian producers. It was the latest in a series of measures that have targeted Australian products including timber, barley, beef and lobsters. 

Tensions have been escalating after Australian officials made critical comments about China’s alleged attempts at interference in Australian politics and of China’s handling of Covid-19.

Australian-China relations expert, Professor Mark Beeson, told The Telegraph that both governments had played a role in the deterioration of relations between the countries.

“I don’t think the Morrison government has handled it fantastically well, they have gratuitously irritated the Chinese, but to be fair it is not hard to irritate China at the moment — they have fallen out with almost everybody and do take offence easily,” he said.

“China sees Australia as being close to the US… and rightly or wrongly see it as a way to send a powerful message."