Reference News Network, July 31 report: The Australian newspaper website published an article titled "China as a Key Climate Partner Is in Australia's Interest" on July 28. The author is Andrew Forrest, Executive Chairman of the Forth River Metals Group of Australia. The following is a translated version of the article:

I love my country deeply and will do everything possible to defend it. I am fully committed to creating our national wealth and protecting the Australian people from the greatest threats we face.

We can defeat warmongers on the battlefield, but we cannot escape the greater survival threat posed by climate change.

We must spare no effort to stop global climate change. Why? Because climate change is accelerating and will harm every Australian, especially the poor.

Some superficial analyses may try to reduce the issue of climate change to a conflict of interests, but that is not the case.

"National interest" has now become a term used by some people to cover up their malicious intentions. When I think of national interest, it represents the greatest interest of every Australian child, woman, and man.

The widespread exploitation and use of oil and gas are harming everyone on this planet. The United States is stepping back on climate issues, while China is accelerating the deployment of renewable energy technologies at the speed the world urgently needs.

Nearly 75% of the solar and wind energy projects currently under construction are in China. In May of this year, China added 9.3 gigawatts of solar capacity. This is an economic pragmatism that has freed China from the consumption of imported fossil fuels.

If we ignore China's decarbonization efforts, we will not only weaken ourselves, but also miss the opportunity to participate in large-scale economic growth and the most important industrial transformation of humanity.

At a time when global economic cooperation is more important than ever, some talkers are advocating that Australia should distance itself from China.

Building peaceful, firm, and respectful relations with our neighbors is not an option, but an inevitability. Those who just talk about it would be better off flying to China and seeing for themselves. There, they will see businesspeople from all over the world.

Some people are making threats of force and spreading the idea of a new Cold War, but we must not forget China's key role in stabilizing global supply chains and preventing climate change.

True governance and national leadership require not hasty comparisons, but the insight of a lifelong builder. I have no hesitation in supporting the recent visit of the Australian Prime Minister to China, which was an extremely important visit.

This is not politics, but patriotism. We must modernize in sync with other countries around the world.

We can guide our partners with our own standards to jointly solve the complex problems we face, rather than cutting ties because the problems are too difficult.

The so-called "national interest" that many use as an excuse must be stripped of its disguise to reveal what is truly important: the greatest interest of every Australian.

Leading a country requires courage. This means facing the future with bold policies, not hindering national development out of fear. (Translated by Pan Xiaoyan)

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7533088475361591848/

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