Australian PM Scott Morrison to cancel state-foreign deals if seen to be against national interestAustralian Prime Minister Scott Morrison says state agreements with foreign governments will be scrapped if they are against the national interest. Under the proposed laws, more than 130 current deals with 30 different countries would come under review. This week, regulators blocked a Chinese company’s purchase of Japanese brewer Kirin’s Australian beverage unit as “contrary to the national interest.”Prime Minister Scott Morrison declined to comment on whether the Belt and Road deal might be scrapped. The Chinese foreign ministry cautioned against disrupting “successful pragmatic cooperation” with Victoria. Australia in 2018 passed sweeping national security laws that ban covert foreign interference in domestic politics.

Source: The Standard August 27, 2020 13:44 UTC