Dan Andrews’ trip to China has been engulfed in a new secrecy after he published a vague six-line itinerary of his daily meetings with Communist Party officials.
The Victorian Prime Minister flew Unpleasant Beijing on Monday evening and will attend a number of meetings with senior Chinese politicians to discuss education, trade and cultural issues.
But he came under fire after banning journalists from accompanying him on his four-day trip to the communist state, despite being the first Australian leader to visit since the coronavirus pandemic began in Wuhan.
China’s state television station broadcast a 2017 interview with the Victorian prime minister on Monday night, in which he praised the state’s relationship with China
Daniel Andrews (pictured in Tiananmen Square in 2015) did not invite Australian media during his trip to Beijing this week
Peter Greste, chairman and spokesman for the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom, condemned the state leader’s decision, saying it was “barely appropriate in a democracy.”
Now Mr. Andrews has been convicted of sharing an incredibly meager daily schedule.
The six-line bulletin, issued by the Victoria State Government, lists only a series of names of Chinese officials he will supposedly meet on Tuesday, but with no details on what they will discuss.
The figures include Huai Jinpeng, the Chinese Communist Party’s education minister, and Beijing mayor Dr. Yin Yong.
Laura Jayes, host of the AM Agenda on Sky News Australia, suggested that the scant itinerary ‘tried to pretend this trip is boring and inconsequential’.
Andrews will meet Huai Jinpeng, the Chinese Communist Party’s education minister
“If so, he should do it via zoom,” she wrote on Twitter.
“Do the media get a full reading and recording of every meeting?”
Ms Jayes had previously called the Victorian Prime Minister’s ban on Australian reporters ‘sneaky’ and suggested it was ‘a middle finger to the central tenet of democracy that has served him so well’.
It comes after China’s state broadcaster Phoenix TV aired a news segment featuring an interview with Mr Andrews in which he praised Victoria’s relationship with China.
“The Chinese story has been absolutely central to the Victorian story for over 150 years,” he said.
“You can’t imagine modern Victoria without Chinese influences.”
He added: ‘We are certainly very proud to have the best part of 100,000 Chinese students here in Melbourne and across Victoria.
‘It makes us a more dynamic city; it is the largest export industry we have.’
Daily Mail Australia can reveal that the video was shot in 2017.
Andrews will visit Jiangsu and Sichuan provinces before returning to Melbourne on Saturday morning.
Laura Jayes, host of the AM agenda on Sky News Australia, denounced Mr Andrews’ decision not to allow reporters on his four-day China trip
The list of officials the Prime Minister will meet was only published after widespread criticism from the likes of Australian media writer Nick Tabakoff and 3AW presenter Neil Mitchell.
“It seems that Chairman Dan is adopting the Chinese government’s culture of explaining as little as possible to the public.”
Mr Tabakoff referred to the famous photo of Dan Andrews talking on his mobile phone while standing in Tiananmen Square during a 2015 trip to Beijing.
“Part of the problem from Andrews’ perspective could be the photographs that can be taken by the traveling media during such a visit,” he added.
Notable Daniel Andrews critic, 3AW’s Neil Mitchell, claimed the decision not to allow media “certainly left a bad impression” on the Prime Minister.
He then joked, “He’s involved in so many investigations in Victoria, it wouldn’t be surprising if he applied for asylum there!”
Liberal MP Dan Tehan called on the prime minister to be more transparent about his travel schedule in China.
‘I think he’s been to China more than Warrnambool.
“I’m afraid the only reports we’ll get out will be from state media in China and I’d really like to know what the purpose of this visit is,” Tehan told Sky News on Monday.
However, Mr Andrews defended the decision not to take the media after his plans were revealed on Sunday.
“We have a series of meetings back to back and I don’t think I’ve taken media on every trip I’ve ever taken,” he said.
“There will be other trips this year to many different parts of the world, possibly. We still haven’t established that. But you are appropriately invited to do so.’
“We’ve made our choice. You can see that. That’s entirely your job.’
The Victorian premier will attend a number of meetings with senior Chinese officials to discuss trade, education and cultural matters
Chinese President Xi Jinping is not expected to be on the itinerary for Mr Andrews’ visit
Mr Andrews has been accused of being too close to China’s dictatorial government after joining Beijing’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative.
The Morrison government used newly created powers to tear up the agreement in April 2021 on grounds of national interest.
The Belt and Road broadly aims to stimulate infrastructure projects in the region and, in the case of Victoria, to ‘increase the participation of Chinese infrastructure companies in Victoria’s infrastructure construction programme’.
However, it has been criticized as a soft power grab by China to increase its influence over developing countries and lure them into debt that forces them to do Beijing’s bidding.
Mr Andrews said China was Victoria’s largest and most important trading partner and it was important to further strengthen that relationship.
“This is not the first trip I’ve made to China and it won’t be the last,” he told reporters on Sunday.
“We think that’s very important for Victorian jobs and exports.”
Mr Andrews said he had spoken to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who was very supportive of the trip.
The Victorian prime minister denied that Canberra-Beijing relations were strained after the $368 billion AUKUS submarine deal.
“I’m not here to comment on the relationship between China and Australia…nor am I here to discuss defense or strategic issues or foreign policy,” he said.
‘My job, the job I’ve always done, is to ensure that more Victorian companies have access to the largest market in the world.’
This will be the Prime Minister’s seventh visit to China since the Labor government took office, with previous visits in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and two in 2019.