Source:   Australian Financial Review

Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull accused Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday of mishandling the Australia-China relationship, after tensions over foreign investment, the detention of Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu and other foreign policy challenges.

Mr Turnbull suggested the Mandarin-speaking Prime Minister's approach to China had been "hamfisted" and his close links to Beijing had counted for little since he had been elected.

"Our relations with China ... are at the lowest ebb they have been for many, many years," he said. Mr Turnbull also said Mr Rudd would have little impact in trying to get Beijing to take action on climate change, even though he had boasted he could use his influence to get China to sign up at global talks in Copenhagen in November.

"He has mishandled relations and obviously has no leverage with China left at all," the Opposition Leader said.

The Chinese government has cancelled some planned visits to Australia by government officials, including one by Chinese Vice- Foreign Minister He Yafei, in what has been interpreted as a backlash against foreign policy positions. Relations with China have been strained over the collapse of an investment deal between stateowned Chinalco and iron ore miner Rio Tinto, the detention of Mr Hu and Canberra's granting of a visa to exiled Uighur minority leader Rebiya Kadeer.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith confirmed that Mr He had cancelled a planned visit to Australia in what appeared to be a protest at the Kadeer visit.

He said the cancellation was "regretful" but Australia stood by its decision to allow the Uighur leader into the country.

"The Chinese authorities at a range of levels made very strong representations to Australia about the proposed visit to Australia of Rebiya Kadeer," Mr Smith said. "I considered those representations and came to the conclusion there was no basis for deny her entry," Mr Smith said, indicating that there could be further retaliation by China.

The chairman of a parliamentary committee on defence and foreign affairs, Liberal senator Russell Trood, said Mr Rudd's inconsistency had left China confused.

"Mr Rudd goes to China on his first overseas trip and wacks them around the ears on human rights, then he advocates on China's behalf for a bigger role in the global financial crisis," Senator Trood said.

"Then he develops a defence white paper around the potential threat posed by China."

The jailed Rio Tinto executive has hired a leading Shanghai lawyer, Duan Qihan, to defend him against charges of commercial bribery and stealing commercial secrets.

Mr Duan is the founder of China's first private law firm and has strong connections with the Chinese government.

Mr Hu and his three colleagues have been held in a detention centre in Shanghai since July 5, after they were arrested by Chinese authorities on suspicion of espionage. The charges were later downgraded.

The federal government has appealed to China to deal with the matter expeditiously.

John Kerin