In March 2023, the Australian Academy of the Humanities sounded the alarm on the decline in our understanding and knowledge of China through a report on “Australia’s China Knowledge Capability”. (more…)
Colin Mackerras
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Lack of China capability can only do harm to society: Our current situation is a disgrace
In March 2023, the Australian Academy of the Humanities sounded the alarm on the decline in our understanding and knowledge of China through a report on “Australia’s China Knowledge Capability”. (more…)
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Grounds for optimism over bilateral ties with China
As living in another country shows, mutual understanding is built on respect and openness. (more…)
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The Taiwan story, How a Small Island Will Dictate the Global Future, by Kerry Brown, Penguin, 2024
Professor Kerry Brown is among Britain’s most distinguished China specialists. He has written very widely on modern and contemporary China and has experience not only in academia, but also in the British diplomatic service. He has some Australia experience, having directed the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney from 2012 to 2015. (more…)
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Chinese culture helps advance modernisation
China’s traditional culture has contributed greatly to the country’s modernisation. Yet it is not the only factor that has advanced Chinese modernisation. The process of modernisation has been driven by factors such as industrialisation and greater equality brought about by socialism, which have been provided by the leadership of the Communist Party of China. (more…)
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Is there any chance the U.S. elections will lead to better relations with China?
Tim Walz has, for a vice-presidential nominee, unusual knowledge and close relationship with China. He has spoken against regarding China as an adversary. (more…)
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Asian-Chinese Studies: a glance back at more hopeful days
The disgraceful current state of Asian studies in general and Chinese studies in particular suggests a glance back at the mid-1970s to the early 2000s, when the situation was, if not always greater in a numerical sense, at least much more productive, enthusiastic and forward-looking, and generally much more hopeful.
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Biden: Chinese among “bad folks” who do “bad things”
At a political fundraiser in Utah on 10 August, U.S. President Joe Biden described China’s economy as a “ticking time bomb”, adding that “That’s not good because when bad folks have problems, they do bad things”. It’s not only an unusually undiplomatic comment, but an unfair one that borders on the ridiculous. (more…)
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Does the shift in influence in Southeast Asia betoken something more global?
A Lowy Institute survey issued in April this year showed that the balance of Chinese-American influence in Southeast Asia had shifted in China’s favour over the last few years. Specifically, in overall diplomatic, defence, economic and cultural influence, the balance was 52 to 48 in China’s favour in 2018 but its lead increased to 54 to 46 in 2022. Two points in the survey are worth adding. One is that the countries where the U.S. lost out most in overall terms included Malaysia and Indonesia. The other is that the areas favouring American influence are military and cultural, while those favouring Chinese are economic and diplomatic. (more…)
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Let’s not talk down to China, but remember its past civilisation
Tianxia, ‘under Heaven’, is a concept deriving from ancient China, but undergoing numerous interpretations over the ages. It refers to an idealised territorial/moral world order, equal but harmonious. (more…)
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The dangerous one is the U.S.
The implication of AUKUS is that China constitutes a danger to Australian security. It borders on official Australian policy that China is an aggressive power bent on domination. But the history of the People’s Republic suggests its military is for defence, not aggression and that the cases where it has used external military force are very few. Under Xi Jinping it may be assertive and keen to extend influence, especially economic, but it shows no signs of political/military aggression. On the contrary, it is the U.S. that constantly uses external military force and is bent on maintaining domination at all costs. (more…)
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How can it be that Australia has actually gone backwards in knowledge of China?!
At exactly the same time as proclaimed “experts” from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute are telling us to prepare for war with China within three years or so, people who have done proper research on the situation with China studies are saying our record is disappointing, indeed getting worse, not better. (more…)
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No, it’s not a joke: China threat theory more alive than ever
The idea that China is lusting after Australian territory is part of the fervid imagination of the worst China hawks. It simply isn’t true. (more…)
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Historically, it’s Japan, not China, that invades other countries
With Japan just having taken over the presidency of the Group of 7 at the beginning of 2023, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has wound up a six-day visit to Britain, France, Italy, Canada and the United States. (more…)
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Best of 2022: Australia’s damaging and deluded retreat from Asia
Obsessed with demonising China, the Morrison government appears to exult in its destruction of one of Australia’s most valuable relationships. (more…)
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Australia should rid itself of the persistent fear of China
Australia must overcome Sinophobia and rejoice in a future in the Asian region.
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Modernity and tradition in China: The ‘tribute system’, and the absurdity of sinophobia
In many ways, the impact of modernity in China is balanced by traditional patterns. In foreign relations, the modern notion of sovereignty is central, but the traditional thinking behind what historians call “the tribute system” still explains some of what China does and its attitude to the world and its neighbourhood. (more…)
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In the ever deteriorating relationship with China, the mainstream media have a lot to answer for
Australia’s mainstream media seem determined to scuttle a reset of Australia-China relations. (more…)
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The Albanese government’s policy on China so far is beyond disappointing
Prime Minister Albanese is happy to begin his prime ministership by fawning on the U.S., Japan and NATO, while all three move further away from China as a systemic competitor, threat or worse. (more…)
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The Chinese seem to have given up on Morrison
We think it can’t get worse, then it does. Scott Morrison mocks the idea of talking to the new Chinese Ambassador, at least not until China agrees to have dialogue with Australian government ministers. (more…)
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Australia descends further into toxic relations with China despite a generous gesture by the new Ambassador
Australia descends further into toxic relations with China despite a generous gesture by the new Ambassador
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Any hope of an Australia-China reset in the new Tiger Year?
A new year, a new Chinese ambassador, half a century since diplomatic relations were established in 1972. Is there any hope of a reset? (more…)
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Australia’s damaging and deluded retreat from Asia
Obsessed with demonising China, the Morrison government appears to exult in its destruction of one of Australia’s most valuable relationships.
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‘Genocide’ finding over treatment of Uyghurs is overreach
The independent Uyghur tribunal has no legal standing, and its findings are not as strong as the Western media has made out.
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Olympic movement must not buckle to China’s critics
There have certainly been human rights abuses by Chinese authorities. But calls for a boycott of the 2022 Winter Games are misjudged.
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Common prosperity should be valued in China and not disparaged by critics
Recent news on China has been replete with items about “cracking down” on the rich, celebrities, the use of videogames by young people and growing inequality.
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How Much Does China Benefit from the Taliban Victory over the United States?
A backward impoverished country, led by a radical Islamist group, has defeated the twenty-year occupation of various Western powers led by the superpower, the United States. Taken by surprise at the speed of the Taliban victory, all these powers could do was to organize the retreat and departure of their own people and Afghan followers, and issue moralistic warnings about their own virtues. Australian Prime Minister, for example, declared that the Australian participation had been right all along, because we were fighting only for justice, despite taking part in a sometimes brutal occupation of a foreign country that proved totally futile in bringing peace, stability or advancement.
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As Biden inflicts a new cold war, his acolyte Morrison shows he has learned nothing from his blunders on China
Morrison’s first trip overseas since COVID has shown him as one-eyed, unfair and unwise in his attempt to push his anti-China agenda on the world stage. He has succeeded in making a bad situation even worse. His worship-America policy has helped Biden into a new cold war, this time aimed against China. (more…)
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China Panic: Australia’s alternative to paranoia and pandering by David Brophy
This is a truly excellent account of the “panic” surrounding Australia-China relations over the last few years, especially since 2017. It is well-researched, analytical, nuanced and very well written in a highly accessible style that is both scholarly and colloquial. One of the book’s strong features is a whole chapter covering the role China assumes in Australia’s universities and one each confronting two extremely controversial matters dogging bilateral relations over the last few years, namely Hong Kong and Xinjiang. (more…)
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Mike Pompeo and “The Xinjiang Genocide Determination”
On 19 January 2021, his last day in office, Trump’s Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, issued a “determination” that “the PRC, under the direction and control of the CCP, has committed genocide against the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang”. On taking office, Pompeo’s successor Antony Blinken immediately agreed with this view.