Racism, fear and lack of moral courage sees Australia tied to a declining America, suffering, as a result, a lack of self-respect, independence and a viable and progressive relationship with our largest trading partner.
In 1909, at the urging of Great Britain, Australia organized a local section of the Imperial General Staff (IGS). In light of the foreseeable European war, Britain wanted to mobilise and control the armed forces of what were termed the Dominions, through the IGS.
In 1910 Lord Kitchener inspected troops in Australia and urged the establishment of a military college to train officers. This occurred on 27 June 1911, in a former sheep station, Duntroon, on the edge of Canberra. It was modelled on the British Military College, Sandhurst, and staffed with British officers and senior NCO’s including my grandfather.
The training, mindset and philosophy was to prepare officers to fight alongside or within British units for British objectives. This proved successful and lasted unchanged until the British withdrew from Asia and the Pacific in the 1950’s. Luckily for Australia the Americans moved to fill the gap. The conservative Australian Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, encouraged and welcomed the Americans and adopted their world view which included a hostile China. It was accepted, without debate, that China was promoting the downward thrust of communism through Asia.
Ever fearful of it’s environment Australia signed a collective defence agreement with the US in 1951 to cover the security of the Pacific. Known as the ANZUS treaty it has been invoked more broadly than originally intended. Lacking self confidence Australia has clung to the treaty which it views as an insurance policy requiring regular contributions. The first of which, eagerly grasped by Menzies, was to offer troops for service in Vietnam to help the US contain communism. The US had misread the situation, it was in essence a civil war, but we did not question them. Menzies was keen to pay his dues.
Another conservative Prime Minister keen to pay his dues to America was John Howard. He sent Australian troops to join US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, in the case of the latter without strategic objectives other than to bust up Muslims which had the unintended consequence of Australian special forces committing war crimes. To date the conservative government which sent them there is having trouble getting its head around this and has shown every inclination of sweeping the initial investigation under the carpet. This is a terrible consequence of having stupidly followed the Americans into a meaningless war.
Why do we follow the Americans so blindly and before them the British? As noted above a lack of self-confidence has been a motivating factor but equally an inferiority complex which has seen Australians gawk at American exceptionalism and braggadocio. A lack of self-respect is also in play as evinced through the treatment of Indigenous Australians and refugees.
The ugliness of racism sits just beneath the surface in Australia. The white political, business and military establishment is comfortable in dealing with America and Europe, far less so with Africa and Asia. It was easy for Australia to wage war in Vietnam, for at that time the Vietnamese were seen as a lesser and crude race. During my army training we were taught to refer to them as gooks, slope heads and Charlie. Equally derogatory racial stereotypes have made it easier for Australians to wage war against the ‘rag heads’ of Iraq and Afghanistan. The racism of the troops was aided and abetted by the racism of the LNP government which treated refugees as a lesser group and referred to them as terrorists.
The training of ADF officers occurs within the framework of going to war with the United States. There is no independence of thought because Australia has no independent foreign or defence policy. Defence procurement is similarly governed. Whatever is purchased must have interoperability with US defence hardware. And our defence spending is profligate.
Defence analyst, Brian Toohey, describes it as mind boggling and ill thought through. We are purchasing submarines not yet designed, for delivery between 2030 and 2050 to operate with US submarines in the South China Sea for a current cost of $90 billion. We purchased F35 fighters off the design board and 20 years later due to innumerable design failures and difficulties only a handful have been delivered. New frigates have undergone extensive design changes to fit particular radar systems. And together with the US we are developing hypersonic cruise missiles.
In terms of our region this is a massive overspend unless we see our major trading partner as our enemy. And if we do, why is this so? Is it because our erstwhile military ally does? It makes no sense. Instead of recognising the dynamics of our trading relationship with China and upping the level of our diplomatic and cultural ties we have downgraded them.
Morrison talks about defending our sovereignty against China but that has already been ceded for no good reason to America. I wonder if Morrison and Dutton realise how much of our sovereignty, we have passed to the US with their base, known as Pine Gap, in the Northern Territory? We only have partial access and there are other US bases and facilities in Australia to which we have limited access. There are American B52 bombers at Tindale RAAF Base ready to bomb Chinese submarine pens on Hainan Island. What are we doing? What have we been conned into?
The government’s attitude toward the Chinese government and people is condescending and racist. They are seen as inferior compared to Europeans. Morrison and Dutton have had limited exposure to life outside of white Australia. Their racism is exemplified by their treatment of refugees. Their contempt was there for all to see in the tone and thrust of their call for an international inquiry into the origins of Covid19 in god forbid, the wet markets of Wuhan. The sneer of ‘wet markets’ and the desire to punish amplified in the arrogance of the underlying message, ‘who do these uncivilised people think they are foisting a deadly virus on us.’ This was not lost on 1.6 billion Chinese, particularly the government.
So, despite our best interests white Australia will cut off it’s nose to spite its face. White America and white Australia remain members of a dwindling club. America is worried that the family firm is under threat but can’t bring itself to modernise. Australia as shareholders on the farm are going to be taken to the cleaners.
It might surprise Morrison, Dutton, Birmingham, Porter et al, that the Chinese would like the same respect as that shown to Donald Trump by the LNP. They would like to be on an equal footing with the new American administration. They are angry. They do not want to be spoken down to.
Asia sees Australia much as Africa viewed white Apartheid South Africa. They are waiting for basic change to take place. They are waiting for Australia to find the guts to establish its place in the region, and the world, independent of the old failing firm.
Bruce Haigh is a political commentator and retired Diplomat.
Bruce Douglas Haigh is an Australian political commentator and former diplomat.
Comments
75 responses to “We have already ceded our sovereignty, not to China but to America for no good reason.”
thank you for this perspective of experience
The Lucky Country with the Tyranny of Distance ?
Should we stay independent and risk the affront of a Russian warship offshore as during the Sydney Olympics or a nuclear submarine from a hostile nation ?
So suck up to the latest ascendant ?
I seem to recall Johnny Howard promising us Rivers of Gold from his fire sale of north-west shelf gas to China
2002 best deal ever – to 2017 worst deal ever – thanks Johnny !
https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/how-australia-blew-its-future-gas-supplies-20170928-gyqg0f.html
Excellent article although I am not convinced we had any sovereignty to lose in the first place. Racism marched in with the First Fleet and subsequent convict transports carrying people who dared threaten Britain’s hegemony.
Our flag still has the Union Jack in the corner telling the world we are a colony. Menzies and Howard both fawned over the British monarchy at the heart of which is a closed clientism which we also display towards the US.
Our military spending shows us to be lacking in self confidence, self respect and respect for others but also in clear thinking. Which corner of the world, apart from Britain in the throes of Brexit, makes an enemy of its closest neighbours and trading partners? It is stupid and short-sighted.
We need to:
grow up as a country and take responsibility for our own fortunes,
foster better relationships with China and our other Asian neighbours,
develop a more mature relationship with Britain and the US as friends, not parents,
be open to other political thinking and cultures other than through their food or art
understand the old world order is changing and be ready to be part of that change.
Australian politicians should realize by now that China has never colonised or invaded another country even though it had the resources to do so during the Ming Dynasty (1300s to 1600s). Its a country that seeks peaceful trade and generally minded its own business. It has never been provocative or threatening. Australia has nothing to fear; China is not interested in your land. It has plenty of its own. So why geared up with so much arms just to satisfy US and UK? And why keep bashing China (your main trading partner) when you haven’t wiped your own nose in your internal affairs? Very foolish I would say….losing all the trade deals, and your people suffering as a result of your unnecessary polemic and vitriol against China.
Oh for god’s sake, when are you guys going to wake up.
The Chinese government absolutely hates us because we occupy a continent stuffed with riches they want.
The alleged racism on our part is just a justification for their malevolent behavior.
They simply want as wiped from the face of the earth and would do so now if they thought they could get away with it.
This is a great article, and hits the nail on the head. Our less than subtle racism is a real menace.
Many informed Americans complain of the GOP being ‘owned’ by corporate donors, libertarian, defence and nativist conservative think tanks etc. developing policies (e.g the ‘bill mill’ ALEC ).
Meanwhile Australia, or the LNP, is now also beholden to similar imported policies via e.g. the IPA, precluding local and informed policy development, that is in Australia’s interests.
Then the negative ‘retail’ talking points are megaphoned by complicit media to the above median age voters, especially in regions, on non cultural issues or fluff e.g. immigrants, environment, unions, LGBT rights etc., allowing the ‘real’ policy intentions to fly under the radar…
While rivalry, conflict and bloodshed have almost always existed between empires, nowadays the powers to be and their media mouthpieces appear to have forgotten the world is fast approaching a climate catastrophe and the absolute horrors of a nuclear war. These issues can not be fixed with the same mindset which has generated or accelerated them in the first place, driving the world to 100 seconds to mid-night (Clock of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists) https://thebulletin.org/doo…
As stated by Albert Einstein “The release of atomic power has changed everything except our way of thinking … the solution to this problem lies in the heart of mankind. If only I had known, I should have become a watchmaker. (1945)” https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/17014-the-release-of-atomic-power-has-changed-everything-except-our
The more things are changing the more they stay the same!
Much of the discussion reads as if it could have been conducted in pre-WWI times, but the world has changed …
Whereas rivalry and conflict have always existed between empires, the powers to be and their media mouthpieces appear to have forgotten the world is fast approaching a climate catastrophe and the absolute horrors of a nuclear war, and that these issues can not be fixed with the same mindset which has generated or accelerated them, driving the world to 100 seconds to mid-night https://thebulletin.org/doo…
As stated by Albert Einstein “The splitting of the atom has changed everything, except for man’s way of thinking, and thus we drift toward unparalleled catastrophes” …
Whereas rivalry and conflict has always existed between empires, the powers to be and their media mouthpieces appear to have forgotten the world is fast approaching a climate catastrophe and the absolute horrors of a nuclear war and that these issues can not be fixed with the same mindset which has generated or accelerated them, driving the world to 100 seconds to mid-night https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/current-time/
Bruce, this is pretty lowbrow stuff. You dredge up the old racism chestnut and in effect say because of the past and your assertion are leaders are racist then “its all our fault”.
Yes there are a small minority of Australians whom are racist, but the vast majority have the wit and wherewithal to see past a person’s skin color and look at decency and character as a measure of human worth.
You wantonly ignore the aggressive and belligerent behavior and seemingly malicious intent of the Chinese Communist Party, and pass it off like its all doesn’t exist.
At its most basic, most Australians would favour a democracy that encompasses freedom of speech, free elections and a legal system that upholds the rights of the individual over a totalitarian dictatorship.
You are I guess just another “useful idiot”. The shame is you appear to have had a responsible position, and a part in shaping our international relations.
Seem! Google me. As for racism look no further than refugees an NT intervention. And cut out the abuse, it does not enhanse what you are struggling to say.
Whereas rivalry and conflict has always existed between empires, the powers to be and their media mouthpieces appear to have forgotten the world is fast approaching a climate catastrophe and the absolute horrors of a nuclear war and that these issues can not be fixed with the same mindset which has generated or accelerated them, driving the world to 100 seconds to mid-night https://thebulletin.org/doo…
We insist on interoperability with US defence systems. Meanwhile, our internal emergency services are not interoperable, least of all within our bushfire brigades fighting fires which ignore boundaries on maps. Priorities!
Besides that, the US has an appalling record of interfering in the affairs of other countries leading to death tolls which exceed those for which the US alleges criminal responsibility when others are involved.
I look forward to Bruce Haigh’s contribution to IPAN’s ‘People’s Inquiry’ – https://independentpeacefulaustralia.com.au
Unfortunately much of the discussion as below reads like a “pre-World War I” discussion, as if the world has not changed. since that time.
However, whereas rivalry and conflict between empires have always existed, the powers to be, their media mouthpieces and much of public opinion appear to have forgotten the world is fast approaching a climate catastrophe, and the absolute horrors of a nuclear war, and that these issues can not be fixed with the same mindset which has generated or accelerated them, driving the world to 100 seconds to mid-night https://thebulletin.org/doo… “.
As stated by Albert Einstein “The splitting of the atom has changed everything, except for man’s way of thinking, and thus we drift toward unparalleled catastrophes”
My remarks were directed toward Barney not Janet.
I know someone inside the Frigate Group who says they have done No Real Work for Months!
Morrison’s plans to spend $270 Billion on Armaments that are Not Fit For Purpose, Obsolete before Built & Grossly Overpriced are Ridiculous!
Institute of Strategic Studies are Blowing the War Horn & want us to buy another 200 F35 Sting F***ups!
We even paid Double the UK price for the Boxer MIV’s!
USAAF are dumping their F35’s as they are Rubbish.
Subs will be useless against Chinese & other Drone Subs & even have the “Cheap” Battery limiting their Performance Severely!
Morrison’s $270 billion spend on Arms would clearly not be in the “National Interest”
Cracker of an article.
Excellent insights.
You pointed out the most important part in international relations, the country needs to maintain independence in international affairs.
Although, generally speaking, it is difficult to completely exclude the influence of other countries in domestic affairs, even China and the United States cannot avoid it.
Therefore, the way to win lies in balance. There is no doubt that there are friends of the CCP in Washington and Wall Street. Similarly, there are a large number of pro-Americans in Beijing, including businessmen, scholars and officials. In this difficult era, they all seemed a little silent, but they did not usher in a devastating blow. Therefore, in my opinion, China-US relations are still stable. This can be reflected in this year’s China-US trade data.
Whether it is import or export, China-US trade volume has reached a historical peak. Ironically, this all happened in the context of the China-US trade war.
China describes it as a ballast stone. This analogy is very clever. It imagines china-US relations as an ocean-going ship. Because of ballast, the ship may withstand the wind and waves and keep sailing. More importantly, China can tolerate more pro-American voices and nationalists. Just like a tumbler, no matter how powerful the left and right swings are, as long as there is a ballast stone, the ship will return to balance.
For Australia, I cannot find a balancer in China-Australia relations. And it can be seen that trade, the biggest interest in China-Australia relations, is rapidly being reduced.
Observers in Australia believe that China is punishing Australia for trade. The subtext behind it is that if one of the parties admits defeat, then this punishment will be invalidated, and the trade between China and Australia will return to normal levels.
But my view is that such trade tensions are not a kind of punishments, but are changing a balanced political structure that weakens the ballast of China-Australia relations. Its impact is long-term. The problem is that the share of China-Australia trade in China is so small and its share in Australia is so large. Losing the largest piece of ballast, Australia has become increasingly difficult to maintain balance in sailing. A little spark may stir a violent flame among racists.
Many thanks to Bruce Haigh for expression the thoughts to the Chinese Australia but were too scare to speak up. Our family is used to living under the British Enpire for many generations in a British colony and resulting in the dispersing our family members in the 5 eyes countries, with cousins in UK, Canada, US, NZ & Australia – now not unexpected in post British colonial days. I also remember my maternal great-grand fathers potrait hanging in the family mansion wearing his medal, an OBE from HM King George V. Our family acknowledges what is past is past and look on the bright side of the British Empire as a way forward in life and that ‘s the only way to bring peace on earth. Racism occurs in every civilization, empire and nation and used for oppression, conquest and slavery (& subjucation) in modern times are most apparent. overt disregard for human rights. Modern racism exisiting in the US today, unfortunately still drives their forign policy – some considered that an Anglo legacy. Racism is the root of all modern evils, hence the world would be a better place to live if racism is eradicated and the planet is big enough more 10 elephants in the room.
Sorry Bruce, you lost me with the first word. It is tedious, trite, lazy and cheap to blame antipathy to China’s CCP on racism, yet it is an absolute article of faith on this website. Columnists and posters seem incapable of realising that people like me are offended by China’s behaviour – and that is utterly independent of race. Thuggish behaviour is thuggish behaviour, regardless of the colour or nationality or religion of the perpetrator; resisting it is not racism.
Does racism exist? Yes, here and in China. Is it responsible for every debate or dispute? No. Further, why are you not accusing China of racism in its rejection of Australia? A man of your experience and seniority cannot be one of the sheep who think only whites are capable of racism.
So congratulations, Bruce,. I see you as yet another Neville Chamberlain, interested only in appeasement. You’re part of the chorus that only Australia is to blame; to ordinary Australians, this backside-licking is absurd and offensive. At least Chamberlain did not gloat at the inevitable discomfit of his country, as so many posters here do. “If only other Australians were as wise as us” is a constant motif.
I have agreed many times that Australia should pursue as independent a path as possible, that neither China nor the US is reliable as an ally. But the US is far more reliable than China, and far closer culturally. If forced to pick – God forbid – that is the way I am going. And China has plenty of problems of its own; its hegemony is not inevitable.
The fact that you are blind, Barney, to the thuggishness of the LNP and the US damns your own moan. I am not an apologist for the ALP – lest you think this.
Why bother. Barney is saying foreign policy should be guided by his feelings… errrr…. I got a bridge I want to sell you…..
Dunno why he even bothers with P&I, plenty of placebo on MSM already I would have thought.
What typical arrogance. No one made you moderator, Meeple, or said only views that coincide with yours can be expressed here. Certainly lucky for me that John Menadue and his team are a little more mature than you. I enjoy plenty of intelligent conversations here, and learn facts and points of view, but I’m perfectly entitled to express my own point of view. This closes my conversation with you.
“Columnists and posters seem incapable of realising that people like me are offended by China’s behaviour ”
Your words not mine. Not sure how that is relevant to foreign policy but good to know you got offended. Do you want a hug?
I wouldn’t care if you were, Jim, though I do think you are an apologist for China. Again, entirely your prerogative.
It’s another lazy technique often employed on this website that, when anyone says China’s behaviour is poor, to wave desperately and say “look over there, look over there”. I am not blind to US bad behaviour, as you would know if you read my comments on it (which may well be on threads that don’t concern you) but I am mystified why people like you think that is a defence of China. It’s not Jim, it’s just evasion
Barney
it is always sensible to view another culture with fresh eyes and replace it with one with whom you have sympathy eg sharing a common language etc. Then you can self assess your own racism
Now take the worst human rights abuses supposedly undertaken by China and assume true. There are three of them currently Tibet, Hong Kong and Uighur.
Tibet is a strategic position for China. Essential to keep enemies at bay – especially India. OK you can argue this is unfair but then I assume you MUST also argue that Hawaii, Guam, Guantanamo, Okinawa (sort of), the Torres Strait Islands, are similar seized strategic areas. Are these also human rights abuses. Would you be happy to cede the TI to PNG with whom they have much stronger cultural ties? Think also the Golan heights, Indian Kashmir, the Channel Isles, even Gibraltar as essentially provinces seized by great powers for strategic gain. It may not be racist thinking but it is culturally relativistic.
Hong Kong is I think one of the cases where extreme hypocrisy applies. Imagine if you can that there was significant militancy in the NT amongst the indigenous and they sought independence. The NT relationship to the Australian Government is a little like that of HK. Their hostility and militancy was fueled by hostile powers eg Russia, China or perhaps Indonesia and the leaders of the Indigenous groups visited the consulates of these powers and accepted favours – scholarships, visits or even monetary offers. They held demonstrations waving the flags of these nations. These militants got very violent, trashing public transport facilities, throwing molotov cocktails and acid at police and occupying the campus of Charles Sturt University. What would expect the reaction of police, the NT government and the Commonwealth government and the army to be? I suspect you and 95% of Australia would call for a major crackdown, jailing leaders, arresting many and indeed beating, tasering and worse many others. If you are wary of my use of indigenous people substitute militant Greens in Tasmania. The same thinking applies.
Finally Xinjiang province. It seems most of the evidence comes from satellites or dissidents, both sources which must be treated cautiously. However i did have a bit of a laugh when it was told to us that the residents were forced to pick cotton. I hope at least people from the USA who less that 200 years ago forced Africans to pick their cotton have the humility to stay silent.
Ms,
Perhaps we can compare Tibet with Sikkim. Sikkim was an Indian “protectorate” (a situation it found itself after British colonial rule) ruled by a Chogyal. In 1975, the Chogyal was deposed and Sikkim was “annexed” by India to become an Indian state. You could find a parallel between the Dalai Lama and the Chogyal. Yet nobody made a song and dance about Sikkim being “forcibly” taken over by India.
Sincerely,
Teow Loon Ti
Dear Tl,
does a failure then justify a failure now?
Hi Barney,
I wasn’t talking about failures. What I pointed out was cherry picking in condemnations. Once selective condemnation is used, one suspects underlying agendas that have nothing to do with ethics. It is politics – the most distasteful of human activities.
Sincerely,
Teow Loon Ti
Or the Indian repression in Kashmir? 80,000 civilians killed by the Indian army since the 1990’s. Over 800,000 Indian troops stationed in Kashmir. The hypocracy is sickening.
Janet, I’m sure your approach in your first sentence has much merit, and in fact by and large I do try to do so.
But I think it is unfortunate to write off very large-scale human rights abuses on the grounds that there are current parallels (though nothing like the Uighurs) and historical precedents.If the world followed your view, nothing could change. Yet it has, not least in the opportunities available to women or indeed forced picking of cotton.
The fourth persecuted group, which you didn’t mention, is Christians. And there are more: Falun Gong, Mongols. China wants only one culture, it seems: Han culture.
And, btw, though I am always interested to discuss these things with you, I did think your reply was rather tangential to the points I was trying to make.
Barney, From what you have written, I can probably conclude that your information is principally from our Western MSM, or what I would call the corporate media. Australia is but a branch office of the US media system… .
Most of the contributors on this website also access information from other than the MSM. I also agree with Meeple that the current media is the US and Australia, as they relate to China, is 95% propaganda, and 5% facts.
I attach the following links (a few with Australian contributions)- if you keep an open mind, and you dig a little more, you may be surprised that what some of us are saying is very true! (A couple of these were uploaded by myself).
https://swprs.org/the-propaganda-multiplier/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-jh26yhjmw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxyu_0rdsRw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZk063-J6ys
https://www.rt.com/op-ed/499625-caitlin-johnstone-war-empire-peace/
The Western corporate media propaganda machine is super-sophisticated- 100 times better than the Global Times, so they win the arguments with the typical consumer of the media nearly every time. Just because they win with their stories, it does not mean that they are telling the truth.
This John Menadue website is wonderful because we get to challenge the ‘truth’ that is dished out. I was one of more than 300,000 Sydneysiders who went out to the huge protest against the Iraq war in 2003. If I had just listened to the MSM, I would have believed 100% about Iraq’s WMD- ‘weapons of mass destruction’. The war went ahead because the US and Australian governments were able to pull the wool over our eyes.
If you think back to what you were thinking then, there is a high chance that you too believed what the government was saying about the WMD.
The Iraq war was a massive disaster for everyone, including a million Iraqi casualties, and many Australian soldiers with PTSD, etc. etc.
My point is that we should all be sceptical with what we are being told. Whether it is Tibet, or Xinjiang, China.
I personally have a lot of respect for many writers and contributors to this website. It is one rare Australian media site where ‘truth’ remains important. Rather than propaganda and lies.
Dear Man Lee (should I call you Man or Lee or do you prefer both?)
I would say this is one rare Australian media site where alternative opinions remain important. And I value it, because here I am like the bad penny popping up time and time again. I like being challenged by the columnists, and also by many intelligent posters, but I’m afraid I find plenty of propaganda here too. Like you, I have a lot of respect for many writers and contributors here, and they may even occasionally be the same ones. And many for whom I don’t have a great deal of respect.
Yes, the Iraq war was a disaster and, yes, I dithered about it though I never actually supported it. But I had recently been opinion editor of The Age (I’d moved on to another role by 2003) and I can tell you how hard we worked to present a spectrum of opinions, including anti-war ones. And here, unlike the multitude of people who sneer about mainstream media but have a very limited idea of how it works, I actually know what I am talking about. I went to editorial conference every day, and took part in discussions of what the issues were and how we should present them.
So I am sorry, but I consider many attacks on msm – and I am not including you here, but I am certainly including Meeple – are the same sort of lazy ignorance based on sheer prejudice that continually calls me racist; far simpler to call names than actually to think. It reminds me of the old joke about an angry migrant who tells a critic, “you think I know f&%$ nothing, but I tell you I know f&%$ all.” That’s most of the posters here about msm.
Thank you for your links, and I will get to them.
Sorry Barney, if you like to prove you know f.cking something, then please provide credible sources instead of “feelings”, opinions and debunked sources. And yes MSM are so good and so efficient at propaganda, even the people working inside become true believers unknowingly peddling BS.
I provide sources for everything I assert. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, so far all I see is the same old MSM non sense.
You want what’s going on in Xinjiang, you can go there or short of that, there are plenty of documentaries about it from Chinese sources that are much more balanced. Of course you just dismiss that as propaganda but happy to swallow BS from a neo Nazi, that’s fine by me but don’t pretend you are some kind of open minded saint.
There is a very fast train from Beijing West train station to Urumqi which takes about 32 hours to travel the 2,700 kms. It would cost Barney about 60 Australian pesos or if our old mate wants to travel first class 160 of his hard earned. Not difficult to get to Urumqi and enjoy the womderful city. The train trip alone would be worth it. One train leaves every day. I would urge all Aussies to go before the Australian peso is crashed to the value of a biblical shekal.
Okay Barney, you got some source on the “Uighur” situation? Let me guess, they all refer back to Adrian Zenz, a born-again far-right fundamentalist Christian who opposes homosexuality and gender equality and wouldn’t get any air time if he wasn’t a useful idiot for the anti-China pro establishment crowd.
Look I even got you the original source of this “Uighur persecution” BS.
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CERD/Shared%20Documents/CHN/INT_CERD_NGO_CHN_31915_E.pdf
They took 8 overseas dissidents, interviewed them, took whatever they said at face value and extrapolated it to the entire population of Xinjiang. If you think that’s credible, then I got another bridge for sale.
The world view you are getting is all just MSM garbage my friend, you live in propaganda land yet you don’t seem to know it. And that’s how the existing establishment like their plebs to think.
The Uighur ‘genocide of mass distraction” double standard has now hit a Monty Pythonese level. The Chief Rabbi of Orthodox Jews in the UK has condemned the ‘genocide” of the Uighur muslims. The Palestinians anyone? This is now getting to the insult to intelligence level.
Janet, it’s like explaining to a fish that there is another world outside of water. But if the fish is eternally proud of its full water immersion and have never known anything else except full water immersion, it doesn’t matter how much reasoning or logic is applied, it’s simply impenetrable.
They are here just to suck up as much oxygen as they can get.
I bet my bottom dollar the guy only speaks one language. It’s hard to see anything from another perspective when he is in the same well all his life.
Meeple, you are just a troll. Actually, I speak Latin, Greek, French, German and Hebrew – or, more fairly, I have studied them. And if I were at high school now, I would certainly take an Asian language: Chinese, Japanese or Indonesian.
As for your pathetic claim that mainstream media make up 95% of what they publish, I have a couple of questions. First, how do you know? Are you a journalist? Have you ever worked in the media? Have you ever commissioned articles and followed the process through? I’m pretty sure not, or you wouldn’t say such stupid things.
As for 95%, how do you reach that number. Is only one in 20 words accurate in any given article, perhaps “and” or “the”. Are 19 out of 20 articles totally fabricated, but one is right? How do you know which one is right? Perhaps because it accords with your absurd prejudices. How do you have any idea of what is going on in the world or even your city? I’m pretty sure most of it comes from mainstream media. You’re just a hypocrite.
Well not unexpected from self proclaimed ex-editor of The Age. Kind of explains the garbage that comes out of Fairfax these days with people like you.
First you make up BS Uyghur stories, now you make up that I asserted 95% of MSM is BS. I mean does The Age just look for random sensationalist crap on Internet and just publish it, because you know, how do you know? Truth costs $$ but doesn’t bring in revenue does it.
I mean this perfectly illustrates how MSM works, just make sh.t up, get some click baits. Can’t back anything up.
An ex-editor of a major Australian media outlet, aka a professional trained wordsmith skilled in the art of “managing public opinions”, ought to be held to much higher standards.
I was never the editor of The Age, Meeple. Nor did I ever say I was. Really, I have to stop wasting my time with an aggressive buffoon like you, one who hasn’t the slightest understanding of any media and debases every conversation. As I said, just a contemptible troll. Over and out.
Dear me, and you don’t like racism! You and your ‘cultural’, tut tut. You have a long way to travel. It is a pity your exposure to other environments appears so limited. I guess you abhor the fact that Indigenous Australians did not invent the wheel.
To see Bruce as another Neville Chamberlain, you must be seeing China as about to invade another country. What evidence of this?
Many countries we trade with oppress minorities. (India in Kashmir, for example) Some are currently waging war (Saudi Arabia) and have obnoxious internal policies. Barney,why this obsession with China and why must we have a campaign to reform China? Sorry Barney, your opinion shows every sign of being driven, not by some pure motivation, but by anti-China racism.
I was interested in your view until the last word. People like you seem to use racism as a catch-all slur for anyone you disagree with.
I have said, time and again, that I am deeply concerned about China. But that is because of their behaviour, which I regard as thuggish, bullying and immature. it has absolutely sfa to do with the fact that they are a different race. How trite and lazy that you have to see that as racism. Then you can dismiss me as a bad person, and never have to think about anything I say, stick your head in the echo chamber and keep your own prejudices reinforced. I think such an attitude is imbecilic.
You can criticise Saudi Arabia with my blessing – an appalling regime – or India. But I’m sorry that it’s necessary to point it out, but this thread is about China. And I’m not campaigning to reform it – I’m simply pointing out, in the face of denial of the calibre of the Trump-cult election-denying followers, that persecution happens to many minorities in China.
Barney what is your view of the continuing repression in West Papua? Would you support humanitarian human rights pressure being applied to Indonesia? Would you advocate bans on Bali in support of the West Papuan independence and human rights? This seems a whole lot closer to home geographically and morally than the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region? Two years ago the Indonesian air force bombed Papuan villages with white phospherous chemical bombs which is a war crime. I missed that report in the Australian media. Did you catch it Barney and what are you doing about it? Our FM when she is not on the blower pleading with Sergi Lavrov about PRC has said nothing.
I have read a fair bit over the years about West Papua, and I am very happy to condemn the repression.
But Skilts, it’s a pathetic argument to say someone can’t be genuine about a concern because they haven’t expressed similar sentiments about every other possible case. Like Jim Kable below, who’s in a flap about the US, that is not a defence of China. It’s simply evasion.
Nor have I suggested any action on Chinese repression of the Uighurs at any point. That’s because I have no idea what would work. What is in my sights in these conversations is the contemptible denial of suffering because of posters’ political agendas.
One of my big concerns is persecution of religious people, and it is carried out in many, many countries. At least 200 million Christians around the world are at risk of persecution every day, but Westerners don’t take it seriously because they think in their profound ignorance that Christians are the oppressors. Of course at times they have been, but not where they are suffering, in Pakistan, China, Egypt and other places. I do what I can, especially financially, and I hope you do too. Or is it just rhetorical for you?
Skilts, if I may humbly add one small item:
It’s an incontrovertible fact that, after 911, the US reintroduced torture which was rebranded as “enhanced interrogation techniques”, applied at various locations including Guantanamo Bay. Also applied was “extraordinary rendition” (aka state-sponsored international kidnapping) and “extraterritorial drone assassinations” (aka state-sponsored international murders).
President Obama outlawed torture but in 2009 introduced the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group which still relied on coercion (aka torture). As late as March 2020, President Trump repeated calls to use torture against suspected terrorist suspects. Both Obama and Trump gloated with impunity over the murder of Osama bin Laden and Iranian General Soleimeni. (Imagine Xi Jinping gloating over the murder of a foreign official! Western MSM will instantly descent into meltdown.)
Torture was banned under the 1987 UN Convention Against Torture because it is inhuman, degrading and inherently an abuse of human rights. State-sponsored assassination is a war crime.
I wonder if such barbaric conducts in complete contravention of the rules based international order should be loudly condemned, justify the cancellation the ANZUS Treaty, ban trade with the US and demand for American political leaders and military personnel be held accountable, investigated and prosecuted for war crimes at the The Hague?
Just an idea….
Barney, As you accused Bruce of being another Chamberlain, I asked you to provide evidence of China’s moves to invade another country. You provide no evidence.
Why your China insults: “thuggish, bullying and immature”? Do you use such terms to describe the US’s actions over recent years, including actual invasions of other countries?
So Barney, there doesn’t seem to be any basis for your “analysis”, other than racism.
I’ve explained the Chamberlain reference elsewhere. Invasion is not a necessary condition for use of the term.
I utterly reject your claim of racism. But I’m certainly not going to waste time justifying myself to somebody whose mind is made up before discussion starts. I’m afraid the myopia is yours.
It seems Barney that you consider yourself free to call Meeple lazy, ignorant and a troll and say his views are based on sheer prejudice or that he is an aggressive buffoon. You say Bruce is tedious, trite, lazy, cheap and an appeaser.
And yet you take great offence at my calling you racist. You can’t just have your own “Chamberlain appeasement” reference. So please answer my question about China’s warlike activities and how they compare with the US’s actual wars.
You fail to answer Teow Look Ti question about Sikkim and India? If we are to be obsessed with China’s apparent failings, why not those of India? Kashmir, for example ? Or the way the current farm demonstrations are being handled?
We’re all supposed to be grateful that you read Pearls and as a result must surely see you as hugely open minded. Let me tell you that those of us who contribute to Pearls endlessly read US propaganda dressed up as “news”. We hear Peter Jennings, Clive Hamilton etc. repeatedly on the news and we read their web posts and books. We subscribe to mainstream US publications (I take the Washington Post, for example) and of course listen to Australian radio and watch Australian TV news and current affairs. And I have to admit I sometimes even watch Andrew Bold, Credlin and Alan Jones!
It is revealing that you admit that you did not speak out against the war on Iraq. This was clearly an illegal act. Why could you not see this? People who actually do have an open mind and read foreign affairs even moderately could see this.
Sorry but in the end I can’t see you as anything but another spruiker of US propaganda. Try considering Australian interests for a change.
I did call Meeple those things, and that’s my view. I have never met such witless ranting about the media except from those Trump cultists who say he won in a landslide. Meeple is the original ultracrepidarian, whose complete ignorance is no handicap to loud pronouncements about the media. I did not call Bruce those things; I said to ascribe all our difficulties with China to racism was those things. I actually have a great deal of respect for Bruce, yet I can disagree. Luckily for me, this is not China.
Grateful? What a strange psychological twist your mind takes there. Is this some sort of transference? Frankly, I don’t give a monkey for your attitude to my posting. I resent being called racist a) because it’s wrong b) because it’s one step above being called a paedophile and c) because – and I repeat myself – it’s a lazy sneer designed to save you having to think. Spruiker of US propaganda? If that’s how you see me, your prerogative. But can I point out something that seems to have escaped you: it is quite possible to criticise both the US AND China, and I have freely criticised both here.
I like posting here because there are many people who engage with me, with whom insults don’t enter the equation and because – and I’m happy to admit it – I learn things here. It’s no bad thing to be willing to learn, and some who post here could try it.
Barney your opening words in relation to Bruce’s article are: “Sorry Bruce, you lost me with the first word. It is tedious, trite, lazy and cheap to blame antipathy to China’s CCP on racism, yet it is an absolute article of faith on this website.” The article did not write itself. So clearly you are saying that Bruce’s writing is “tedious, trite, cheap and lazy.” You use abusive labels in response to just about everyone who comments adversely on your posts.
And on your claim that no-one writes about the oppression of Christians, I for one have written a number of article about this.
For goodness sake, this is absurd. What is tedious, trite, lazy and cheap is blaming antipathy to China on racism. That’s what I said, and still say, while acknowledging that racism can be a factor. It does not reflect on any other part of Bruce’s writing. It refers to that particular claim. I think the continual effort by so many posters here to say it is all Australia’s fault because we have been racists from the beginning is also tedious, trite, lazy and cheap. Anyone with any clarity of thinking can see from the reaction of ordinary Australians that they think China’s behaviour is bullying and wrong. It has sfa to do with colour.
If I criticise Adolf Hitler, does that automatically make me anti-Aryan? If Icriticise Genghis Khan, does that automatically make me anti-Mongol? If I criticise Pinochet, does that automatically make me anti-Latino? If you argue yes, then I will claim that you are tedious, trite, lazy and cheap in that judgment also. What a simplistic binary world you seem to live in. I can like something someone says and dislike something else the same person says, and still continue to relate to and like that person. Most normal people can. I am perfectly sure you do too – take for example (if you are married) your wife. You doubtless disagree sometimes.
I am interested and pleased that you have written a number of articles about the persecution of Christians. I have also. Would you be willing to provide any links? It is true that it is a subject that does not often arise on this website, or in the mainstream media.
Barney, my most recent piece touching on the persecution of Christians was published here on Pearls and you can find it at https://publish.pearlsandirritations.com/paul-malone-hagia-sophia-reconverted-to-mosque/
Very fine piece, Paul, and I don’t know how I missed it at the time. I too have twice visited Hagia Sophia (before it was turned back into a mosque) and been astounded by the genius of its builders. The Blue Mosque, deliberately built to rival it, is very lovely too, but not as impressive. Turning it into a museum was one of the genuinely good actions of Ataturk. Erdogan? Not so much.
And you can find another piece where I refer to the burning down of churches here: https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/cancellation-of-ayaan-hirsi-alis-australian-tour-is-regrettable-20170407-gvg06q.html
Also a fine piece. Powerful partly because measured. I read the one below first. Here is my most recent specifically on the subject:
https://www.theage.com.au/national/religious-persecution-a-growing-global-problem-20200116-p53s2t.html
Barney I might quibble at a few things you say here but in general I agree. So it’s good to see we agree about some things.
It is just staggering that human rights loving Australians never mention the continuing repression in West Papua. And the holidays to Bali are just lovely. Where you can enjoy fun in the sun on the mass graves of 60,000 slaughtered members of the Indonesian Communist Party and ethnic Chinese.
Well said. Australians have to improve their cross cultural communicational skill and understanding of China and Chinese peoples who have 5,000 years of history.
It’s not “tedious, trite, lazy or cheap” that Bruce signals racism as driver of anti-Chinese sentiment in Australia.
Morrison, often through his attack dogs and his mainstream news team supporters are engaging in subtle racism to push their points. The press also allows many readers comments in their newspapers that are clearly racist in nature, and an abundance of articles come from the point of view that China is a liar, can’t be trusted on anything, and is an inferior culture that doesn’t fully know what it is doing compared to countries like ours. That fits any modern definition of racism. They also insinuate that China’s end game is to take over the world through warfare – good old Yellow Peril stuff. To encourage these views there has been a constant flow of American officials, from Hillary Clinton to Mike Pompeo, featured in the newspapers to provide us with their utterly biased views on China.
We have supported the US every time even when Trump has said the most racist of things such as calling Coronavirus “Chinavirus” or “Kungflu”. We supported it because we were tacit, we said nothing. Was this sort of talk ever singled out in the press as diplomatically counterproductive? Did Morrison say anything? No – but he gets instantly offended by what the Chinese might depict when they are actually telling the truth over what an Australian report says about the actions of some members of our SAS forces in Afghanistan.
Morrison is milking xenophobia, anti-Chinese sentiment, belligerent tough talk, nationalism and neo-McCarthyism to appeal to his base, without any thought to how that is seen by the Chinese. He has no way of understanding them, he knows nothing about China. It’s straight out of Trump’s bible, and straight out of John Howard’s textbook as well: “We will decide who trades with Australia and the circumstances under which it is done”. I note even yesterday he referred to our “sovereignty” over the Chinese cancelling coal, as if they were somehow actually about to attack Australia and take our land. This talk has gone way too far, and is dangerous to say the least, especially under the economic times that were are experiencing, despite the Dr Pangloss views of our prime minister and treasurer.
You are correct to say all countries have racist sentiment, and China is not spared from it, but the kind of abusive rhetoric Trump has been using, with Morrison, his buddy close behind him, is destructive and causes more racist and hawkish responses from China too. Where does this get us? A hot war with China? That seems like insanity to me, especially under our virus controlled travel constraints and the advance of global warming.
Diplomacy seems almost non-existent with this government, and our neighbour countries also know it as well.
Many Chinese and even Asian people in general, have been the victims of genuine racist attacks. Much of it goes unreported. You must be aware of how much white supremacism is on the rise in this country, and the US, and that federal government seems very reluctant to do anything about it even if ASIO has pointed out the dangers it contains.
Racism can exist in any country, but if we claim to be the moral higher ground which is obvious by everything the government and its sycophant media say about our behaviour concerning China, we should avoid racist views and Nationalist allusions of superiority at all costs. This government in 7 years has reversed its position on the free trade agreement it made with China. Abbott formed a team that frequently complimented Xi Jinping for what he had achieved, and even the efforts of the CCP. They rushed into trade because they knew it was China that largely got us out of the 2008 GFC by buying our minerals, agricultural products, and many services. The increase in Chinese trade rose significantly after 2008, this is undeniable by the record.
It is also Australia that started to back off from its commitments by rejecting many Chinese business ventures and in particular rejecting Huawei. No one has ever told us why Huawei may be a risk, they have just said it was. Quite frankly I think the unstable self-focussed USA is a bigger risk, especially as it gets its teeth more into Australia, something Bruce well points out.
The Chinese from their side say they have had $14 billion worth of export trade rejected. Once again that is faced with “they must be lying” tactics – they always do it seems. But the WTO will decide. If it rules in China’s favour it will be called pro-Chinese, just as it was done with the WHO when it refused to accept Trump’s claims over Covid-19 and China.
But then we say: “China doesn’t abide with the decisions of international organisations”. Funny that.
All I ask is for some maturity and persistence in diplomacy on both sides to resolve this situation, but it has nothing to do with Neville Chamberlain and WWII. In fact if anybody invaded a country like Hitler did with Poland, it was the US illegal invasion of Iraq of oil with the usual kangaroo contingent lap dogging behind. Perhaps you can tell us how China’s rise has anything to do with the causes of WWII.
In 1913 a silent film was made in this country called “Australia Calling” (there are two films by the same film maker of the same name). It was about an unidentified ‘Mongol’ race (as was the pseudoscience racialist categorization at the time) invading Australia. The prologue showed Aussies at the footy and horse races, unsuspecting that the Asian hoards were going to try to take the country, and in particular, harass our women – an invasion of 20,000 strong arriving to destroy our Aussie way of life. Yet we repelled them and won at the end of the movie. The theme was nothing but a repetition of Yellow Peril fears and xenophobia, and this sort of thing is woven into Australian minds. White wins against the others again.
McCarthyism was the vehicle in the early 1950s which reiterated the danger of the Asian hoards coming to get us.
If you don’t think that these memes still exist within our nation’s collective mind then I think you are mistaken.
We should treat Chinese business relations like any other business agreement with any other country, but I say that Morrison is milking xenophobia and nationalism for political ends, it is clear that he’ll use any tactic to pull votes especially as the cash and popularity runs out.
Yes, George, it is lazy, trite etc. Partly because it makes China the victim and everything our fault, a line many here peddle and the reason I keep replying, in an attempt to put another view. Absolutely racism has played a part in the past, and still does. But China’s behaviour is another driver, like it or not.
Second, that China is a liar and cannot be trusted is sometimes true, as it is of every nation state. But China’s lack of trustworthiness of trade is particularly egregious and not like every other nation. I see in the Herald-Sun today that China is in the grip of a terrible cold snap, but is running out of power because it lacks good quality coal. Of course to many posters here, the entire story is malevolent fiction designed to make the CCP look bad, and in fact every Chinese is tucked up in bed with an electric blanket and a blazing fire. What it tells me is that the CCP is utterly unconcered about any suffering of its own people so long as it can punish Australia.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/beijing-blacklists-australias-14b-coal-exports/news-story/1e38c6aa018efe2a92091dbb3282549d
The point of the Neville Chamberlain comparison is that appeasement didn’t work; it just fed into Hitler’s narrative of self-invincibility. I don’t think China is going to war with Australia, or the US or that they in turn want war with China. I wouldn’t be surprised, if relations continue to worsen, if they do something like Russia did to Crimea and close down our power networks for a few days, or something like that. But if you want maturity on both sides, that involves BOTH sides by definition. I can’t find anyone here suggesting that China has to change a thing; it’s Australia that has to go to the naughty corner until it learns proper deference. Very odd.
You may well be right about Morrison’s thinking and tactics. But that still doesn’t mean there is nothing to worry about with China.
Excellent analysis Bruce as always.
I often have this image in my mind where the Union Jack is removed from our flag and replaced with the Star Spangled Banner. It think that says more for the actual state of our country now, although we still keep Britain in the news and political sphere as much as possible.
You can also see that the allegiance to Britain continues with how the release of the Palace Letters was covered up by a willing press eager to still plaster over the events of Whitlam’s dismissal. And then there’s the Liberal party connections through people like Abbott and Downer that always seem to be there to preserve a continued power over the colony of Australia. These two in particular are reminiscent of the British imperialists of the 19th Century. Downer’s actions with East Timor were an classic example.
As for the US, I often ask people which country has the most foreign investment in Australia and the answer is always “the Chinese”. Yet it is around number nine on the list (last time I looked) and Chinese investment is shrinking. Our largest foreign investor by far is the US at near to 1 trillion dollars and around 12 times more than China. Second on the list is the UK, and third is the invisible Belgium. So which countries are having the most effect through foreign investment alone? Most people have no idea of the scale of US investment. I guess they don’t stand out as much.
Recently there has been discussion about changing the words in the Australian national anthem to say “we are one and free” instead of “we are young and free”. I completely understand that: from the indigenous Australian point of view we are not young, more likely 60,000 years old, and this is something we should acknowledge thoroughly and hold respect for. Yet I also like the original words because it includes the word “young”. In this anthem “young” refers of course to the establishment of a new colonial country by the British which is modern Australia now, and dates back to the original Terra Nullius grab of Australia by Cook, the settlement formed by the First Fleet, and the kind of country that developed since those times. In this context we are truly a young country as opposed to the old country that we left called England. The US is a relatively old country too compared to our 230 years plus.
The point I wish to make is that if we are a young country in the context I speak of, why are we siding with old imperialist countries like the US and Britain who are still in the business of berating China and patronizing China while insinuating they are less honest than we think we are. It is appalling to see from the media and from the government that actual physical geography is replaced with the sense that the US and Britain are somehow closer. And under the current government our relations with our real geographical neighbours are at an appalling low. There is a hint of white imperialist supremacy in all of this. The club of 300 years of imperialism still trying to repress the natives.
Clearly the US and Britain have a long history of vilifying China, and that started when the opium trade began. Britain sold opium from Bengal, and the US also made a fortune selling opium from Turkey.
Sinophobia and anti-Chinese sentiment were mostly promulgated by the British. They were always at it, mainly to make their drug trade look respectable and something that was the fault of the Chinese. Germany, another imperialist player at the time, was the source of the first “yellow peril” propaganda which later spread to the US and then here. Racist hate of the Chinese by these countries and Australia well predates Mao or any form of communism or socialism.
So my conclusion is: why as a young country with the opportunity to choose its own path, are we still so influenced by these old imperialist and exploitative countries with a track record of besmirching China?
Why not take hold of our own path? If we act like a child that always complies to grandpa’s wishes we will never develop our own autonomy.
The club of 300 years of imperialism still trying to repress the natives… . Sounds a little anachronistic but as Paul Keating would say- you have to only scratch the surface. Sigh!
Stan Grant of indigenous heritage made a similar comment on the ABC The Drum. I think many of the views of Western imperialism are still within the mindset of quite a few politicians throughout the world in the West, especially in the US and UK and follower Australia. No doubt the tables are turning in terms of which countries rise above others economically and that changes power structures. The closet imperialists today fear it immensely so they think the best way to deal with is is with another round of repression, threat of warfare, or actual warfare. Personally I think we can live in a multipolar world and focus on the things we share in common for a better future. All cultures and countries have much to offer, and we can learn new things from everyone of them.
The only problem is does Australia have the ability to even have an independent foreign policy in the first place? With military and technology completely reliant on the US, no nuclear weapons and a small population, one has to question just how sovereign Australia really is especially after the 1975 constitutional crisis.
Here the arrogance and delusion really shows compared to Japan, a more powerful nation but equally reliant on the US for security. However, Japan is not under the illusion it is part of the Anglo sphere so it plays its cards carefully between US and China. Australia on the other hand, due to cultural reasons, thinks itself as PART of US.
The problem is while security wise, Australia is reliant with the US, economic wise, it is actually a competitor with it’s five eye allies. Something that’s completely lost on the political class here due to, to your point, delusion of racial and moral superiority.
What a fabulous article
Bruce: This is an honest if briefly outlined assessment of the dual dangers to this country performed by the LNP traitors and their best buddy the US – to whom as you quite rightly put it – this nation has ceded its sovereignty.
I am sure if I read further below that BarneyZ will accuse me of being in a flap over the US! The more I read of him the more I think…
not just a base, now bases, including USAF at Tindal via Darwin and Marines at Robbertson Barracks.
see also recent campaign in the murdoch press for a new USA naval base in the NT.
ref: http://usba.se/
Spot on Bruce. Has anyone noticed how the only governments encouraging us to “stand up” to China are from the Imperium? Proclamations of solidarity from Asia have been scarce indeed.