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Maureen Huebel, a Melbourne-based scholar, is facing strong backlash after posting pro-China messages on Twitter. Lots of people accused her of being a "fake account" and a "pro-China propaganda bot," and some even sent her death threats, when she tweeted that she was planning to visit northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to study the poverty alleviation achievements of the region and observe local people's "happiness and expression through dancing." 

CGTN's Liu Xin spoke with Maureen and her husband Robert Huebel, to know more about their thoughts on popular anti-China narratives in the West and why it is so difficult to challenge them.

CGTN: Maureen, have you tried to ask the authorities, either the press or the institutions, such as the ASPI, for evidence substantiating their claims, for instance, that there is genocide against Uygur people in Xinjiang, or that China is a coming threat that there may be war in the next 2 to 3 years. Have you asked for evidence? And what kind of response have you been given?

Maureen Huebel: I asked people like Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, who, not long ago, made a statement of giving sympathy and empathy to the cruel treatment of the Uygurs. And I contacted her on a number of occasions, and I said, "can you substantiate this? And if you can't substantiate it, please be cautious." And I also told her that there was litigation going on in the States for defamation and the harm done to Xinjiang and the cotton growers.

And we don't want to be embroiled in such a litigation. Seek the truth and hold back until you know the truth. I have to say she has been quieter. There is a slow turn. I'm not the only one. There are other people that think the same as I do. We might be in the minority at this stage. But we're looking at being friends with China. We're economically interdependent. And to have a bad relationship doesn't make sense, economically or even security.

CGTN: What is the kind of political pressure on you for being outspoken, for having these opinions? Is there political pressure on you? Especially, I understand you were called a "pro-China propaganda bot." Your account was even suspended temporarily. How does that feel? How much pressure is on you for saying these things, for having these opinions and expressing them?

Maureen Huebel: There is quite a lot of pressure, but the more pressure I've had, I thought I want to find the truth. I'm a scholar. I want to find the truth. I don't take it seriously, if they call me a "bot" or "shill" or a "sophisticated Chinese propagandist," I don't take those words seriously. They're their words. They're not mine. Because they say it doesn't make me that. So, I tend to block them or ignore them. It doesn't worry me.

CGTN: Why do you think this is such a taboo subject? Or that people are afraid to ask questions, to challenge the mainstream narrative?

Maureen Huebel: I've asked myself that, what coercion are we having from America? I can't understand why our politicians go along with such nonsense. And I've got to our government that the American interests are in conflict with the Australian interests. I certainly have tried to get people to think, "Is this a true story? Is it based on fact and where and can you substantiate it, please?" So I've done a lot of work in asking them for substantiation, especially on Xinjiang.

Robert Huebel: We're also trying to look at how Australia can grow up and be more of an adult in the room. At the moment, it seems to be the follower, the child that has to listen to a master or to the parent, and they're looking to America to be that parent. Now, Australia needs to create its own identity.

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