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Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 17 Apr 2020
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Sydney: In what can be seen as a step taken by the international community to start the process of social distancing against Beijing, the place from where the lethal COVID-19 disease first originated, the Australian city of Wagga Wagga has moved to formally sever ties with its sister city in China, media reports said.
The council vote was pushed through with the support of three conservative councillors, while others, including the city’s mayor Greg Conkey, were absent or unable to vote, reported The Guardian.
The inland NSW city of Wagga Wagga has been partnered with Kunming for 32 years, yet on Tuesday night Councillor Paul Funnell put forward a proposal to sever tires with the city in a bid to “reject the corruption of the Chinese government”, reported Yahoo News Australia.
“This is the same Chinese Communist Government that delights in lies, subterfuge and cover-ups, for example, by now trying to claim that the US military is responsible for the spread of COVID-19,” Funnell was quoted as saying by the news portal.
He said China’s inaction over the virus has led to “death, destruction and turmoil” in the weeks following and the City of Wagga Wagga must do “what is right”.
The voting took place on Tuesday night.
During the voting, the motion was approved four votes to three following an initial tie, with Councillor Tim Koschel deciding the final vote, media reports said.
However, the move has triggered a widespread backlash.
Wagga Wagga-based NSW Nationals MLC Wes Fang issued a statement and tweeted: "My statement on the disgraceful vote by the @WaggaCouncil, to rescind our Sister City relationship with #Kunming in China tonight."
My statement on the disgraceful vote by the @WaggaCouncil, to rescind our Sister City relationship with #Kunming in China tonight.https://t.co/G0atdGg0LT pic.twitter.com/LGMjDTWOXS
— Wes Fang (@WesFangNats) April 14, 2020
He said blaming Kunming for an incident that originated in Wuhan was like “blaming our other sister city Nordlingen in Germany for the events of the past two World Wars.”
“I will call it out for what I believe it is, racially motivated dog-whistling of the worst kind,” he said.
“The events of the past few months have been particularly difficult for those Chinese-Australians who love our country, but have been abused because of our name and our looks,” Fang said.
A spokesman from the Chinese consulate-general in Sydney said it regretted the decision that "not only harmed the atmosphere and foundation of exchanges and cooperation between the two sides but also damaged the interests of the City of Wagga Wagga", reported ABC.