WAGGA City Council will stand up for Australian soldiers after a series of tweets by the foreign ministry of China left many "deeply offended and repulsed".
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The city's councillors unanimously supported Cr Paul Funnell's notice of motion at Monday night's council meeting, which will see them write to the Chinese ambassador, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and the Kunming mayor.
It came in response to a doctored photo of an Australian soldier about to slit the throat of an Afghan child wrapped in an Australian flag.
The social media post has built on escalating tensions between the two countries caused by tariffs on multiple industries, which the council will also request an end to given the direct impact on the Riverina.
Wagga-based veteran Lachlan Feeney, in his public address to the council, said the "Chinese propaganda" on social media in recent weeks has been "deeply offensive".
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"I believe this imagery is blatant, antagonistic propaganda likely to cause an emotive reaction ... I have noticed there is a lot of unrest, anger and many veterans feel it is unfair that we are being portrayed as children murderers," he said.
Cr Funnell said Wagga is the home of the soldier, with hundreds of recruits coming through the city, and it is the council's duty to stand by these people when they have been "maligned and wronged".
He said it "repulsed" him and many citizens are "absolutely horrified".
"We have to give [soldiers] the confidence that when they are prepared to stand for us .... we are standing by them," he said.
Likewise, Cr Funnell said Wagga - being the region's capital - must represent its rural ratepayers who will be impacted by the tariffs imposed on many agricultural industries. He said many businesses in Wagga rely on the rural sector and will be indirectly affected.
Cr Rod Kendall said these issues "go to the heart of Wagga and the region".
"Due process needs to be shown in the current issues with the ADF and some of the allegations being made ... but it doesn't include casting them all in the same light," he said. Cr Kendall said they must stand up and express the problems with the tariffs.
"This is something that we don't believe is fair, we are not happy with and it does need changing," he said.
The original motion sought to reach out solely to Wagga's sister city in China. However, it had since been amended to include Mr McCormack and the Chinese ambassador.
Cr Dallas Tout said it was important they go through the appropriate channels given recent legislation that gives the federal government oversight of international agreements made by state and local councils.