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The Australian Government continues to dampen expectations about re-opening its international borders and allowing its citizens to begin traveling again. On Tuesday, May 11, the Australian Government handed down its annual budget. In his remarks, the Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg tempered expectations of any significant international travel resuming before mid-2022.
Australia’s borders look likely to stay shut until mid-2022. Photo: Qantas
“With respect to international borders, it’s quite a conservative, cautious assumption that international borders will gradually reopen from the middle of next year,” said the Treasurer.
Josh Frydenberg said, as a result, international airline and passenger traffic would stay low until then, with improvements in numbers expected from mid-2022. The Treasurer also defended the now 14-month long international border closure.
CANBERRA, May 12 Australia’s budget will be in the red for the foreseeable future, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said today, as he defended the government’s big spending plans as necessary to secure an economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Australia’s Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
Quad exclusive clique against Beijing, says China; defends warning to Bangladesh against joining it
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Last Updated: May 12, 2021, 04:56 PM IST
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Synopsis We are an independent and sovereign state. We decide our foreign policy, Momen had said, adding that Bangladesh has been following a non-aligned and balanced foreign policy and the country would decide what to do in line with that principle.
The Quad member countries have resolved to uphold a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the strategically vital region.
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China on Wednesday accused the Quad of being an “exclusive clique” against Beijing as it defended its Bangladesh Ambassador s warning to Dhaka against joining the US-led alliance, saying the envoy has made the country s position clear on the issue.
China's Ambassador in Dhaka Li Jiming China on Monday warned Bangladesh against joining the fournation group comprising the US, Australia, Japan and India, saying that Dhaka's participation in the anti Beijing "club" would result in "substantial damage" to bilateral relations.