Chinese official says Australia 'should be ashamed' after Scott Morrison demands apology for 'repugnant' fake photo

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson has hit back at the Australian government's demands for an apology over a doctored photo posted by a Communist Party official.

The photo, blasted as "repugnant" by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, has been altered to depict an Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of a child atop the Australian and Afghanistan flags.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian today tweeted the faked image, sparking Mr Morrison's swift rebuke demanding an apology from China and for the image to be taken down.

Below the image, which shows the child's face covered and holding a lamb, are the words: "Don't be afraid, we are coming to bring you peace".

"Shocked by murder of Afghan civilians and prisoners by Australian soldiers. We strongly condemn such acts and call for holding them accountable," Mr Zhao said in the tweet.

He was making reference to the findings of the Brereton report, which alleged Australian special forces soldiers committed 39 murders in Afghanistan.

Hua Chunying from the Chinese Foreign Ministry tonight doubled down in the face of outrage directed at China as a result of the tweeted image.

"The Australian side is reacting so strongly to my colleague's Twitter," Ms Hua said, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

"Does that mean that they think the coldblooded murder of Afghans is justified? The Australian government should feel ashamed of this; they owe an explanation to the world and they should solemnly pledge such crimes will not be repeated."

The Brereton report was actioned by the Australian government after allegations of improper conducted by SAS troops.

READ MORE: PM urges restraint over alleged war crimes exhibits at War Memorial

Mr Morrison earlier today said Australia was demanding an apology and immediate removal of the image, which he labelled as "false and a terrible slur".

"There are undoubtedly tensions that exist between China and Australia. But that's not how you deal with it," he said.

"It is deeply offensive to every Australian who has served in uniform.

"It is outrageous and can't be justified on any basis whatsoever."

Mr Morrison said the government had also contacted Twitter to request the image be removed.

He said the social media giant should "in the interests of decency" take the image down.

Mr Morrison called on China to engage in respectful dialogue, rather than "engaging in this sort of deplorable behaviour".

This is not the first time Mr Zhao has taken issue with Australia.

Last week, he revealed a list of accusations against Australia, including accusing the Morrison government of a "blatant violation ... of international relations", by speaking out over what it viewed as risks to "democratic processes" in Hong Kong and human rights abuse allegations in Xinjiang.

Mr Zhao's gripes followed the release by Chinese officials of a list of 14 grievances China has with Australia.

At the top of the list are decisions to ban Huawei from the rollout of the 5G network, foreign interference laws, and calling for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.

One official said to 9News "why should China care about Australia?"

'Paranoid, childish, bullying'

Nine political editor Chris Uhlmann said Mr Zhao's post was about China being determined to make an example of Australia.

"But in doing so, it's parading its true nature in front of an increasingly anxious world, as it catches a glimpse of a possible future under a paranoid, childish, bullying superpower," Uhlmann said.

Although there had been no official response from the Chinese government, Uhlmann said the state-owned newspaper the Global Times was full of support.

And, he said, it was obvious what China was angry after a list of grievances was passed to 9News recently from the Chinese embassy.

The government in Beijing, among other things, is angry that Australia has passed foreign interference laws, banned telco giant Huawei from its 5G rollout, and barred Chinese state-owned companies from certain purchases in Australia.

Uhlmann said to surrender on any of these points would mean Australia had agreed to "cease being free" - and it wouldn't end there.

"What will your children and grandchildren have to give up?" he said.

The strained relationship between the nations was again shown on Friday when China imposed massive tariffs on Australian wine.

China's Ministry of Commerce announced the duties will range from 107.1 per cent to 212.1 per cent, effectively doubling to tripling the cost of Australian wine.

"There is a causal relationship between (wine) dumping and material damage," the ministry said in a statement.

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said the tariffs had the effect of rendering Australian wine unviable and unmarketable in China.

The tariffs come after an investigation launched by the Ministry of Commerce in August.

It follows massive Chinese tariffs on Australian beef and barley.

There have also been unofficial bans on coal, sugar, lobsters, copper and log timber coming into China from Australia since the start of the month, the South China Morning Post reports.