Tensions between China and Australia over trade and security hurt both countries. It is time that the great salesman Prime Minister Morrison went to Beijing to resolve misunderstandings.
Linda Jaivin’s cheeky novel A Most Immoral Woman concerns the woman’s alleged dalliance with George Edward Morrison. Jaivin uses intriguing chapter headings such as ‘In Which Morrison Travels To The Charing Cross of the Pacific, Lectures Kuan On The Benefits of Western Imperialism And Receives A Surprise At Journey’s End’. Morrison was of course, known as ‘Chinese Morrison’.
According to his entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography by J.S. Gregory, the historical Morrison was born in Geelong and lived from 1862 to 1920. He had an adventurous life across Victorian and Edwardian eras. There were long hikes, diary writing, journalism, spear wounds. In New Guinea, more wounds in the Boxer Rebellion, graduation in medicine from Edinburgh after lack of success in Melbourne (a variation perhaps on the lawyers’ acronym FILTH: Failed In London Try HongKong) and became an adviser to the Chinese government in Peking.
Morrison had some influence on the British policy to end the opium trade from India and was an early critic of ‘Blackbirding’ in Queensland. He backed the Japanese against the Russians over Port Arthur and complained that the defeat of the second Australian conscription referendum was a victory for Catholic and female voters. His book An Australian In China, Being A Narrative of A Quiet Journey Across China To Burma was said to have ‘savoured of genius’ and established him as the expert on Chinese affairs, although he did not master the language.
A tension in politics is that those who govern and legislate make decisions that affect ordinary citizens so profoundly. Yet there is no mutual obligation involved and politicians walk away when things become too difficult. Sometimes politicians decide between life and death. When governments commit the Australian military to overseas actions, they know that lives will be lost. Our troops will suffer casualties and they will inflict them.
The Coalition of the Willing – the Anglophone trio of Bush, Blair and Howard – unleashed a devastating bombing campaign against Iraq in 2003 knowing that many children would die in Baghdad. When they pleaded that they did not realise children would die, they were lying. No-one is that stupid. Yet they had the front to call Saddam Hussain ‘the butcher of Baghdad’. They claimed that there was no viable alternative to military action. Sanctions, they said were not working or could not be given any more time to work because Iraq possessed fearsome weapons. They lied about this too.
At the time, at least one Australian made herself a human shield hoping that she could shelter and save some children. Donna Mulhearn was widely disparaged as irresponsible by politicians and media. But she was an embarrassment because she showed the politicians one course of action which they might have taken had they been brave and sincere enough. How heroic Bush, Blair and Howard would have appeared had they risked their own lives and walked into Iraq to negotiate with Saddam. A genuine peace delegation might not have worked but it was not tried.
And here today our prime minister, despite all the criticism he has endured, has a chance to prove that he can lead. He should pack a bag and go to China and show the people and the government of the vast nation, that he is a man and not a television image. He could admit he has faults and failings but plead the case for a new friendship between the countries. Such humbling would not be humiliating but would challenge his counterpart to make a similarly humane gesture of understanding.
Talks can occur at ministerial level. There can be cultural contacts but too often negotiators are handed immediate escape routes in terms of veiled threats. Discussions can be undermined by unfriendly processes such as press conferences and social media. Ping Pong Diplomacy has been destroyed by one-upmanship.
Something must change. So, go on, Mr Morrison, take that first step. You might even earn the title ‘Chinese Morrison’.
Dr Tony Smith is a former political science academic with interests in elections, parliament and political ethics.
Dr Tony Smith is a former political science academic with interests in elections, parliament and political ethics.
Comments
6 responses to “We need the diplomatic skills of a ‘Chinese Morrison’”
China is not an enemy.
They are now a rival.
They are aggressive, having doubled their land area in the 1950s. They are a non cohesive empire, like India and Indonesia. If they were an enemy, we would be emphasising the internal differences in these countries. It suits Australia and USA to keep Indonesia intact, hence Aceh and the Sukarno business. They are a deadly barrier to China and Japan.
China has difficulties keeping the power on in its cities. Its finances are not solid. It actively lies about GDP expansion. Its corruption is colossal and inequity causes issues. It needs an external “threat” that it can prate about, but not one that means war. This is all jawjaw, with some collateral damage to businesses. Silly season now months long, due to CoVid?
Can anyone here make any sense of Mr. Donnelly’s comment? Where is the sarcasm?
Tim who?
Anonymous commenter has zero authenticity….
So why attack someone’s comment?
Put up your own, or confirm your cowardice
One who is inflicted with an infantile hatred of their enemy will not negotiate with that enemy. That is the case between the Liberal parties of Australia and the Communist Party of China.
When and how did they became enemies?
There are two opposing forces in PM Morrison’s mind now is his decision whether to go to China as suggested. Going there means blotting his good books with the US and loss of esteem & status with the US, Not going there means a loss of esteem and status with Australians (if economic decoupling sets in). Personally, it is a no win situation for him either way, hence, it is better for him to retire gracefully and let a new PM do the hard work. A fresh face and fresh start may be the panacia.