For a regime that regularly and loudly protests about interference with its sovereignty, the Chinese Communist party is quick to ignore its own admonition. Indeed, any criticism of the regime is regarded as interference in internal affairs. It has blacklisted parliamentarians from various countries including Australia and refused them visas because of their criticism of the regime. It even threatens to prosecute people – who have not even visited China – under its vague national security laws.

Even by China’s blatant standards, the invitation by Foreign Minister, Wang Yi to Paul Keating for discussions was audacious. The former prime minister is a well-known apologist for China. His public interventions these days tend to be restricted to criticism of any negativity about the communist regime. In particular, he has slammed the Australian government and Foreign Minister Penny Wong for their policies towards China.

Mr Keating is stuck in a time warp. It is almost three decades since he was prime minister. Much has changed since the early 1990s, especially the rise of an aggressive, bellicose China under Xi Jinping in the past decade. There is no evidence that Mr Keating has acknowledged these trends, let alone had a briefing by our security agencies. Instead, he pours forth his intimidating, bullying assault on anyone with whom he disagrees. His known anti-Americanism shines brightly.

Keating left the opulence of his Potts Point mansion to meet with Wang, knowing full well that his discussions would overshadow any meeting with the Australian government.

China would not allow a visiting foreign minister to meet in China whomever he or she wished, especially a critic of the regime, if any were still alive or not in prison. High-ranking officials, including the former foreign minister, have simply ‘disappeared’. Even to ask for a meeting would constitute interference with its sovereignty. Yet it is OK for China to invite a former PM to meet the CCP’s foreign minister, as it did with former Philippines President Duarte. The double standards are breath-taking.

Wittingly or otherwise, the Albanese government has played into this charade. There are still people in Australia who believe the CCP is a benign influence in the world. Some believe the domination of the world by China is inevitable. Others are seduced by the financial gains to be made.

The idea of China’s rise being inevitable is misguided. The nation faces very significant economic challenges, a declining, aging population and an unwillingness to undertake the reforms necessary for progress. As the former Czech president, Václav Havel –no stranger to the brutality of totalitarianism – once remarked, there is nothing inevitable about the domination of communism. Nor are the windfall financial gains guaranteed in the future as growth stalls and the economy slows.

Mr Keating is astute enough to know his meeting would be used in Chinese propaganda. The CCP mouthpiece, the Global Times, reported the meeting, noting that Keating was critical of the Aukus agreement which China opposes and has been trying to undermine.

Chinese media was invited to record the two men in discussion, but the Australian media was excluded. The talks were clearly intended as propaganda by the Chinese. They were held at the Chinese consulate where no record of the conversation would be released to the Australian public. As one of the architects of the CCP’s ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy, Wang has been relentless in exploiting any division in the stance of other nations.

The purpose of Wang’s intervention is clear. His visit to New Zealand was an attempt to drive a wedge between the Kiwis and the Aukus partners; his discussions with Keating designed to split the Labor party on its China stance. The CCP is resolutely opposed to the Aukus agreement, fearing that not only is it being used to contain Chinese territorial ambitions, but it will attract more participants, potentially becoming a regional security pact.

With reports of the New Zealand Prime Minister, Christopher Luxon, softening his stance on China, the nation’s foreign minister, Winston Peters, was once again very clear about the threats to regional security and peace. ‘He [Wang] did raise Aukus with me and I pointed out the right of countries to organise their defence arrangements,’ he said. ‘In the conversation of his concern about the Aukus arrangement, I did put to them, “Well you do not think we just have imaginary concerns do you?” It was just a matter of making it very certain that he understood that we did not have imaginary concerns about long-term security.’ He added, ‘Countries are entitled to make up their minds about their defence interests or their security interests, and to think otherwise is to live in some imaginary environment, previously described by Prime Minister (Helen Clark) as a benign strategic environment. Who on Earth believes that now?’ Who indeed – apart from Paul Keating?

Like former Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, Peters recognises the need to draw a line in the sand in discussions with the Chinese regime. Anthony Albanese and his ministers should follow his lead. As Peters said, our concerns are not imaginary. CCP interference in Australian affairs has been well-established.

Peters also encouraged Beijing to ‘respect agreements’ which recognise Australia and New Zealand as security partners of choice for Pacific Islands Forum nations ‘that need to be honoured’. These comments were targeted at Chinese endeavours to influence national affairs in a number of South Pacific nations, including Tonga, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Fiji.

The bifurcation of trade and defence policy by the Albanese government is concerning. If Penny Wong naively believes that having a panda at the Adelaide zoo will keep China at bay, she is very mistaken. As I wrote last week, China is ramping up domestic production and beginning to flood global markets in an attempt to stimulate its economy. Reports of manufactured goods pouring into overseas markets, such as cars into Europe, are circulating. The danger is that despite the government claiming otherwise, it will succumb to Paul Keating’s view of the world. That is what the CCP wants – an Australian vassal state.