Canberra: Australia canceled four bilateral agreements (Bilateral Agreements) with China, Iran, and Syria under a new law. The new law empowers the federal government to ignore international agreements made at lower administrative levels that violate the national interest.
Foreign Minister Maris Payne said in a statement that among the deals that have been canceled are deals related to two “Belt and Road” infrastructure buildings in the state of Victoria that were signed with China in 2018 and 2019. There was a legislative response to these deals. The Victoria Education Department agreement was signed in 1999 with Syria and in 2004 with Iran, which has been rescinded.
Payne said in a statement, “I think these four systems are not in sync with Australia’s foreign policy or are hostile to our foreign relations.” China has previously warned against disrupting “successful practical cooperation” with Victoria.
Australia passed a national security law in 2018 that prohibits covert foreign interference in domestic policies. Beijing called these laws prejudicial to China and poisonous in Sino-Australian relations.
