All this is because we kicked up such a fuss in the media (especially Fox News and Sky News) about the Covid-19 investigation, much of it bordering on Anti China hatred. China's rep asked us straight out whether we were concerned that all the fuss might cause Chinese students to look elsewhere, which is quite a sensible question, and our media incorrectly treated it as a threat and goes into anti China overdrive.
Now we can't back out because we and all our media would have to back down, ie lose face big time. And we thought it was the Chinese who never wanted to lose face. It's now us and we only have ourselves to blame.
All China wants is a customer they can rely on and which treats them like a friend. Plus we stay out of their internal affairs. Plus don't get badgered by the US to do their dirty work.
We've had an incredible opportunity to work with them instead of against them as this belt and road project takes off and we are blowing it.
