Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has dismissed the idea that China is unable to become a multiparty democracy, saying there is no "anti-democratic” instinct in the Chinese people.

Morrison, who led Australia from 2018 to 2022, said the Chinese people "care just as much about freedom as we do” but "sadly in mainland China they don’t have the opportunity for it.” The former Australian leader was a guest on the Diving Deep podcast hosted by Olympic athlete Sam Fricker.

"There’s a view that some put around that, oh, you know, democracy can’t work in Chinese culture,” Morrison said on the podcast. "Well, that’s crap. I’ve been to Taiwan.”