WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – New Zealand has joined Australia in condemnation of a graphic tweet posted by a Chinese official showing a fake image of a rin Australian soldier holding a blood knife to a child’s neck.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Tuesday that New Zealand had raised its concerns directly with Chinese officials.
“It’s an image that wasn’t factual. That was not true. And so given our principal position where such images are used, we will raise those concerns and we will do it directly, ”Arden told reporters.
China has not backed down from the tweet and has said it will not apologize.
Ardern’s criticism was more silent than Rd Australia. New Zealand’s closest ally Australia faced an unclear choice as to how long to get involved in the conflict between Australia and its largest trading partner China.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morris on Monday called the image “unfavorable” and apologized to the Chinese government. The post was aimed at allegedly abusing Australian Australian soldiers during the conflict in Afghanistan.
The incident is fueling already strained relations between Australia and China.
The photo, which showed the soldier slitting the child’s throat, was posted by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. “Prisoners are shocked by the killing of Afghan civilians and by Australian troops,” he tweeted. We strongly condemn such acts, and call them to account. ”
Earlier this month, he was referring to a disturbing report by the Australian Australian military that found evidence that select Australian Australian troops had illegally killed 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers and civilians during the Afghan conflict. The report recommends that 19 soldiers be referred to federal police for criminal investigation.
Asked at the daily briefing on the issue, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chuning blamed the Australian-Australian party.
“Australia should deeply reflect what Australia should do, bring the perpetrators to justice, issue a formal apology to the Afghan people and promise the international community that they will never commit such heinous crimes again,” Hua said.
Morrison said Zhao’s tweet was “absolutely insulting” and that Australia is a terrible stigma against the Australian military.
It is “really hostile. It’s deeply insulting to every Australian, every told Australian who has served in that uniform, “he told reporters in Canberra. “The Chinese government should be ashamed of this post. It makes them less visible to the world. ”
Morrison said his government contacted Twitter and asked him to take down the post. There was a warning tag on it in the post on Tuesday, but it can still be seen. Zhao’s account comes with a Twitter label stating that it is a Chinese government account.
Despite China blocking Twitter and other U.S. social media platforms in the county, Chinese diplomats and state media have established a strong presence over them.
Zha was criticized by the U.S. in March after tweeting a conspiracy theory that U.S. troops may have brought the coronavirus to China. He is considered China’s leading representative of the new strain of the resolute attitude of foreign relations.
Morris acknowledged that there is tension between China and Australia.
“But that’s not how you deal with them,” he said. “Leader Australia has patiently sought to alleviate the tensions in our relationship in a mature, responsible manner, with demands for engagement at the level of our leader and prime minister.”
Conflicts between the two countries have escalated since the Australian government called for an independent inquiry into the origin of the coronavirus epidemic. China has since imposed tariffs and other sanctions on a number of Australian Australian exports.
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