Former state premiers Daniel Andrews and Bob Carr will reportedly join authoritarian leaders Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin as guests at a huge Chinese military parade today.
Andrews, an ex Victorian premier, and Carr, a former NSW premier and foreign minister, are reported to be among the 10,000 strong crowd watching the event in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The former politicians – who have a record of forging links with China – are attending in a personal capacity.
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The parade will showcase China’s newest warfighting kit, including hypersonic missiles, tanks, stealth fighters in a display of the communist ruled nation’s military arsenal.
Analyst Neil Thomas, from the Asia Society Policy Institute think tank, told Today the parade had drawn a “rogues’ gallery” of authoritarian world leaders, including North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He said the attendance of Carr and Daniels would likely bolster the Chinese government’s efforts to promote the event, and its claims China was the major force behind Japan’s defeat in World War II.
“They’re (Carr and Daniels) not representing Australia, although, of course, they did hold senior roles in state governments before.
“So it’s certainly the case that China is looking to use their participation to bolster the international reach and legitimacy of this parade.”
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In addition to the North Korean and Russian dictators, the leaders of hardline regimes such as Iran and Belarus will also be watching the parade.
“The fact that the company you have at this parade is a rogues gallery of international leaders like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un, it certainly doesn’t leave a good taste in your mouth.,” Thomas said.
The federal government confirmed senior Australian officials will not be attending.
The country’s ambassador, Scott Dewar, has chosen instead to host the Australian business community in the southern city of Guangzhou.
Carr has a track record of promoting closer relations between Australia and China.
In an opinion piece for The Sydney Morning Herald earlier this week, he said the efforts of China during World War II had helped save Australia from Japanese aggression.
During his stint as premier of Victoria, Andrews made the state a part of China’s Belt and Road infrastructure project. It prompted the federal government to step in and quash the deal over foreign interference concerns.
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