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SARAH FERGUSON, PRESENTER: Welcome to the program. It's only eight years since China's President Xi Jinping received a standing ovation after addressing Australia's parliament to pledge a new era of cooperation after signing a free trade deal.And from the South China Sea to the Pacific islands, China is now flexing its might in ways that challenge the existing order.
SARAH FERGUSON: You're welcome. We just heard a grab of yours from the press club where you said that China was prepared to "use all necessary means". That sounds like a warning to Taiwan. What do you mean exactly when you say, "use your imagination"? XIAO QIAN: Well, Sarah, actually if you look at the Anti-Secession Law which was adopted in 2005 by the National People's, Congress Article 8 has a very clear articulation about the three kinds of scenarios where we will use peaceful means.
Number three, the possibilities for peaceful reunification should be completely exhausted. That is when we will start ... If we keep the other options, we have a chance of peaceful reunification otherwise it just leads to things to nowhere. SARAH FERGUSON: That's not what re-education means. Re-education is in Chinese history has some sinister connotations. The question is, how do you go about re-educating people who have been used to free thought?
XIAO QIAN: Well, I mean in China people are supposed to learn Chinese language, otherwise you cannot communicate and people in every country, they have to learn their national language. This is a question of obligation. Not a question of compulsory, not a question of force. SARAH FERGUSON: Just to be clear, it's obvious from polls that have been taken in Taiwan since 1993, I think, that the majority of Taiwanese support the status quo.
In terms of what happened in Xinjiang according to the UN, I will just repeat torture, cruel or degrading treatment, arbitrary detention, crimes against humanity. Should China be ashamed of what happened in Xinjiang? This is a second report. This second report is a product of manipulation and cohesion. It's nothing true in it. There is nothing true in itSARAH FERGUSON: Foreign Minister, let me just say this to you, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the Foreign Minister of Australia, is in no doubt about the credibility of the report.
XIAO QIAN: As ambassador, I am not going to suggest we will punish Australia for making statements. Australia is entitled to their own views but I'm not going to suggest that Australia should check against the facts before making serious statements. SARAH FERGUSON: At the same time Penny Wong praised the courage of the Australian Uighur community and those around the world for making sure that these stories, these harrowing stories came to light. Do you regard these ordinary folks as enemies of China?
SARAH FERGUSON: On the subject of people imprisoned by the state for its own reasons, why hasn't detained Australian citizen Cheng Lei been able to call her children for two years? SARAH FERGUSON: Is there something that you can do to ensure there is some contact between Cheng Lei and her children? SARAH FERGUSON: It would be very difficult for the people of Taiwan to have faith in that in the light of Hong Kong, but I need to move on because we do have a limited amount of time. So forgive me for this.
SARAH FERGUSON: And that's exactly what Deng Xiaoping was arguing against - an overconcentration of power. XIAO QIAN: Well, we are talking about two persons. Mr Deng Xiaoping and President Xi Jinping, they are two persons, and these are two different ages, different eras. We are now in a new era.SARAH FERGUSON: The philosophy of Deng Xiaoping is rejected?SARAH FERGUSON: You've talked about the potential for a meeting between the Prime Minister Albanese and President Xi.
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