Australian Open defended Chinese water sold on court

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The Australian Open has been criticized for selling bottled water from China in recent days.

According to reports, Chinese food and drink retailer Ganten struck a deal with the prestigious tennis tournament last October to sponsor the event as “official water” for the next five years, replacing a local Australian brand.

Photo from Twitter account @daspez

As the first Chinese beverage company partners with the game, only bottled water produced from south China’s Shenzhen City is available on court, which runs through Jan. 15 to 28 this year.

The move has rankled Australians, with some labeling the Australian Open “unpatriotic.”

On Facebook, user @Helen Langford wrote “Australian Open means supporting Australian businesses. Obviously didn't do a background check on the companies they are using.”

Screenshot from Facebook

In response, Australian Open said, “Ganten is an official sponsor of the tournament this year. We're the Grand Slam of Asia / Pacific and a global event with a history of partnering with reputable international and Australian brands.”

Screenshot from Twitter

Deputy Director of China Institute of International Studies Ruan Zongze told Xinhua News Agency that Australia’s recent anxiety toward China’s rise should not hurt bilateral relations.

“It is protectionism. How much do China import from Australia every year? But they cannot even accept a bottle of water. It is not in line with market principle if I can buy yours, but you don’t buy mine,” said Ruan.

In fact, China is Australia’s largest exporting market, taking up more than 30 percent of all Australia’s export volume.

Screenshot from the website of Chinese Embassy to Australia

Last month, the Chinese embassy in Australia rejected fabricated news stories about the so-called Chinese influence and infiltration in Australia, and has repeatedly issued safety warnings for Chinese nationals “due to a rising number of insulting incidents.”