Both pro- and anti-China demonstrators gathered outside Australia’s Parliament House in Canberra on Monday as Chinese Premier Li Qiang paid a visit.
Some anti-China protesters said they were treated roughly by the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Another scandal erupted when Chinese officials traveling with Li physically blocked an Australian journalist once imprisoned by China from appearing on camera with Li.
The premier is second in power only to China’s dictator Xi Jinping. Li was the first Chinese premier to visit Australia in seven years. He arrived on Saturday and made an appearance at the Adelaide Zoo on Monday, where he promised a new pair of giant pandas would arrive soon. China often uses “panda diplomacy” to either express its anger or soothe hurt feelings by withdrawing or promising pandas to other countries.
Adelaide, the state capital of South…
