WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected accusations from Beijing that his country is “plagued by systemic racism and hate crimes” after an Australian diplomat led a group of Western nations in renewing concerns about human rights violations in China.
“When it comes to China, we’ve said we’ll cooperate where we can, we’ll disagree where we must, and we’ll engage in our national interest, and we’ve raised issues of human rights with China,” Albanese told reporters on Thursday as he arrived in the Pacific Island nation of Samoa for a Commonwealth leaders’ summit.
A day earlier, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian had denounced a statement made by 15 nations to the United Nations General Assembly this week — presented by a top Australian envoy — underscoring “ongoing concerns” about “serious human rights violations” in Xinjiang and Tibet.
James Larsen, Australia’s ambassador to the U.N., urged China to “uphold the international human rights obligations that it has voluntarily assumed” by releasing “all individuals arbitrarily detained in both Xinjiang and Tibet, and urgently clarifying the fate and whereabouts of missing family members.”
The statement amounted to “political manipulation under the pretext of human rights,” Jian said Wednesday.
Singling out Australia for rebuke, Jian said the country was “long plagued by systemic racism and hate crimes” and should resolve its own affairs rather than criticizing China’s.
Albanese said Australia would “always stand up for Australia’s interests” and had raised the matter of human rights with Beijing in a "consistent and clear way.”
The Chinese government launched in 2017 a campaign of assimilation in the northwestern Xinjiang region — home to 11 million Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities — that has included mass detentions, alleged political indoctrination, alleged family separations and alleged forced labor among other methods.
More than 1 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz and other ethnic minorities are estimated to have been held in extralegal internment camps. The Chinese government at the time described the camps as ” vocational training centers.”
The U.N. Human Rights Office in 2022 found accusations of rights violations in Xinjiang “credible” and said China may have committed crimes against humanity in the region.
Larson in his statement also cited “credible” reports of China subjecting Tibetans to coercive labor, separation of children from their families, erosion of cultural and religious freedoms, and detention for peaceful political protests.
He urged “unfettered and meaningful access” to Xinjiang and Tibet for independent observers.
“No country has a perfect human rights record, but no country is above fair scrutiny of its human rights obligations,” Larson added.
In response, Jian decried what he said was Australia’s hypocrisy, citing the country’s treatment of refugees, immigrants and Indigenous people.
“Australian soldiers have committed abhorrent crimes in Afghanistan and other countries during their military operations overseas,” Jian said.
Jian appeared to be referring to allegations that elite Australian troops unlawfully killed 39 Afghan prisoners, farmers and civilians between 2005 and 2016, which led to a number of senior military officers recently being stripped of their medals. Australia's past policy of refusing to allow asylum seekers who attempt to reach its shores by boat to ever settle in the country is also often cited by China as tarnishing the country's standing on human rights.
Beijing’s economic ties with Canberra are thawing after several years of official and unofficial trade blocks. But the relationship remains tense on matters of human rights and geopolitics as China becomes militarily more belligerent in the Asia-Pacific region and Australia grows closer to its Western-intelligence sharing partners, particularly the U.S.
Chinese Premier Qiang Li said during a state visit to Australia in June that he had agreed with Albanese to “properly manage” their nations’ differences.
However Justin Bassi, executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said China's rebuke this week was an “overreaction" intended to warn Canberra to pull its punches.
“By limiting all but the most unavoidable criticisms of China to statements delivered by officials rather than ministers, Australia was offering Beijing a compromise,” Bassi said. “Instead of taking that as a win, China is biting back hard.”
Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk contributed to this report from Melbourne, Australia and Keiran Smith contributed from Newcastle, Australia.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese react during the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Apia, Samoa, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft/Pool)
Australia's leader rejects Beijing's claims that his country is rife with 'racism and hate crimes'
Australia's leader rejects Beijing's claims that his country is rife with 'racism and hate crimes'
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gestures during a press conference in Logan City, near Brisbane, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (Darren England/AAP Image via AP)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Even 8-year-old Charlie Freeman is excited about a Dodgers-Yankees World Series.
“He's at Universal (Studios) right now with a couple of his buddies, but he goes, ‘Daddy, I can’t wait for the World Series to start tomorrow,’” Los Angeles first baseman Freddie Freeman said at the last workout before Friday's opener. “He’s on YouTube and seeing all the videos about Yankees-Dodgers. So you're starting to get a hint of how big this could be.”
This will be the 12th Dodgers-Yankees matchup and the first in 43 years. The rivalry dates to 1941, when the Dodgers were in Brooklyn and Joe DiMaggio's Yankees were seeking their fifth title in six years.
“You can be the best player. You can do whatever you want,” Yankees star Juan Soto said, “but at the end of the day, people remember you because you won a World Series.”
Broadway vs. Hollywood has produced the starriest Series in decades, if not ever. The League Championship Series had the highest U.S. TV ratings since 2017, and that's been dwarfed by viewership of the Dodgers from Japan driven by interest in Shohei Ohtani.
“You could easily argue that on a global scale, the Yankees and the Dodgers are the most followed, the most supported, the most visible," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said.
This figures to be the first World Series featuring five MVPs: the Dodgers' Ohtani, Freeman and Mookie Betts, and the Yankees' Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. There hasn’t been even been a Fall Classic with four since 1971.
Ohtani and Judge are the likely MVPs this year, marking the first Series to feature both since San Francisco’s Buster Posey and Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera in 2012. This will be the first Series with a pair of 50-home run hitters in Judge (58) and Ohtani (54).
In an age of expanding playoffs, this is just the fifth World Series since the Wild Card Era started in 1995 involving the teams with the best records in each league.
“I’m sure I’m going to feel how special it is,” Ohtani said through an interpreter.
Players practiced in 85-degree weather as the sun highlighted Dodger Stadium's sky blue, yellow, light orange and sea foam green seats. Freeman, slowed by a bad ankle, insisted he will be in the lineup for the opener.
While the Dodgers are seeking their eighth title and second in five years, the Yankees are in the World Series for the first time since winning No. 27 in 2009.
“This is where the real fun starts,” Judge said.
Judge realizes a title is necessary for membership among the Yankees' greats.
“They definitely got a different aura walking around here when you got a couple of rings on your fingers,” he said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, is that you see that they’re battle-tested. They’ve been through the grind. They’ve been through the ups and downs and they came out on top.”
Roberts and Yankees manager Aaron Boone have faced each other since April 3, 1992, when Roberts' UCLA Bruins beat Boone's Southern California Trojans' 11-1 UCLA's Jackie Robinson Stadium.
“As we all know in here, you’re a Trojan for life. You’re a Bruin for four years,” Boone said playfully.
Told of Boone's shot, Roberts said: “Ouch! That hurts" and “absolutely disagree, 100 percent.”
Boone texted a Yankees emoji to Roberts when New York's charter flight landed Wednesday.
“There was another emoji I thought about sending him with one finger, but I didn’t,” Roberts said. “I just gave a laughing emoji back.”
Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty, who starts the opener against the Yankees' Gerrit Cole, was high school teammates with Max Fried and Lucas Giolito at Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles. Three years ago, Flaherty was at Houston's Minute Maid Park for World Series Game 6 along with Giolito to watch Fried get the win that finished off the Atlanta Braves' World Series title.
“It's a funny feeling watching that,” Flaherty said, “because you’re excited for one of your best friends and you’re incredibly happy for him, also at that same moment you’re a competitor and you want to be in that situation, you want to be on the field.”
Flaherty is 1-2 with a 7.04 ERA in three postseason starts this year. Cole is 1-1 with a 3.31 ERA in three starts.
Like Roberts, Cole went to UCLA. The pitcher's college rooting aligns more with the Dodgers manager than his own.
“Aaron and I don’t always agree on everything,” he said.
Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner was 7 years old in 1977 when the Yankees won their first title under his father, George. New York clinched the title over the Dodgers with a Game 6 win in the Bronx as Reggie Jackson hit three homers on three straight swings.
“I’d say my two most prevalent memories are Reggie’s third home run, and of course the final popup that was caught by (Mike) Torrez and the pandemonium that ensued,” he recalled this week. “Was a great day!”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Yankees' Juan Soto speaks during media day for the baseball World Series, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton during media day for the baseball World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
A mural is displayed of Los Angeles Dodgers legend Fernando Valenzuela at Dodger Stadium Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. Valenzuela died Tuesday at age 63. The New York Yankees face the Dodgers in Game 1 of the baseball World Series Friday. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Workers prepare the field for the baseball World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts speaks during media day for the baseball World Series, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani speaks during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
New York Yankees' Aaron Judge watches batting practice during media day for the baseball World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty warms up during batting practice during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto arrives during batting practice during media day for the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
FILE - Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, left, and his son Charlie, right, participate in spring training baseball workouts at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Feb. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
