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The Forum > Article Comments > Australia and authoritarian China: in the end, it appears money rules the world > Comments

Australia and authoritarian China: in the end, it appears money rules the world : Comments

By Chris Lewis, published 29/5/2012

Australia is doing well from its relationship with China, and seems to have few qualms about how its wealth is generated.

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I'm not going to get too deeply into this. I just want to make a couple of comments.

The first one of course is that money makes for strange bedfellows. Even the Religion,(any) the bastion of morality, will sell its soul to the Devil for money.
So will any Politician in the world.
So will any Corporation.
And the common people be dammed.

Chris Lewis:
1. While Australia does little to protect manufacturing,

Using tariffs of course. Is there another way?

2. many of China's rich are eager to leave the country in search of cleaner air, safer food, better education for their children, although some were concerned about government corruption and the safety of their assets.

Is that with China or Australia?

3. The Hurin Report has indicated that 90 per cent of the 1,000 richest people are either officials or members of the Chinese Communist Party.

They have to be members of the Communist Party or they wouldn't be allowed to trade. That dosen't mean that they are really hardened Communists.

4. China's unwillingness to promote creativity and free thinking in the same way as other countries means that innovations will continue to come from people who are exposed to other countries and cultures.

And why should they when countries, like Australia, actively prevent Innovations from being manufactured here. We have to go to China to get our innovations manufactured.
Posted by Jayb, Tuesday, 29 May 2012 10:38:25 AM
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Is there any reason why we should prevent rich and highly skilled migrants from coming here (from China or anywhere else)?

These people with passports and a desire to work can only compliment the other migrants who are less fortunate which Australia also receives.
Posted by Dave Elson, Tuesday, 29 May 2012 1:10:25 PM
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Hi Chris

An interesting article which got me to thinking.

I have an ambivalent attitude to China. I'm suspicious of China's rising military capabilities in our region - admittedly from a low base - China has a long way to go.

I have a nodding awareness of Chinese security service, signals intelligence and hacker activities in Australia.

However in the world of wealth and trade its the colour of the money rather than the political colour of the investor that counts.

I'll also add that there has been a bipartisan (Labor and Coalition) approach to China for at least 20 years that has encouraged economic links with China while we rely on our US alliance to protect us from China.

As a telling example Alexander Downer is now a consultant representing Chinese interests including being a "a board director of Huawei Australia." http://www.arnnet.com.au/article/421701/downer_strong_australia-china_relationship_paramount_access_new_technologies/#closeme That doesn't make him right but it makes him realistic.

China has many things wrong with it but its here to stay geographically in our region and economically.

Our business people and government will not reject China on the basis of human rights and ideology when China is so ideally suited to Australia economically.

If other markets come along (like India) to reduce our reliance on China then that would put Australia in an even stronger bargaining position.

Regards

Pete
Posted by plantagenet, Wednesday, 30 May 2012 11:15:55 AM
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Pete,

You make good points.

Again, how best to deal with China is one of those hard ones.

At end of day, where the wealth is will rule the overall sentiment of our policy mix, including under the Coalition.

However, I think there is (or shoud be) greater awareness that simply relying on China does have strategic and economic implications, a point also recognised by India's media and elite.

When i get more time, I want to research how such a reliance on China may have implications in other policy areas.

But, at the end of the day, I am rather disturbed that the benefit of recent trends are too much in favour of authoritarian China, albeit that Aust is fortunate to have lots of stuff in the ground and we benefit from cheap goods. I do not think that this is healthy for the world, including for democracy, security and the potential of freer trade.
Posted by Chris Lewis, Wednesday, 30 May 2012 11:59:35 AM
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Poor little Australia! It is in a difficult position. China has all the money and wants to trade with us while the U.S. is still involved in its deranged dream of trying to control the world.

What is little OZZ going to do? How can it willingly involve itself in becoming the U.S. Deputy Sheriff in the region while trying to get China to spend trillions here?

This situation is going to result in a divorce before long. You can't have your cake and eat it too, can you?

What we don't want is that both the U.S. AND China divorce us although, because the U.S. is in terminal decline, it would be a lesser loss.

God, if only we had some intelligent, wise politicians.
Posted by David G, Wednesday, 30 May 2012 12:01:31 PM
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.History has to be taken into account when dealing with China. Since about 400BC China has seen itself as the centre & ruler of the World & all Nations must Know Tow to China. In two & a half thousand years, even up to the present day things haven't changed with Chinas attitude. Take the Sprattly Islands for example.

Having spent three years in SE Asia I know this to the prevailing thinking of the Chinese. They consider Australia as there Great South Land. Having been explored by General Ho in the 14 hundreds. There is a map in Taiwan which shows the Murray River & mapped inland right up to a small creek just east of Hughenden.

Now with the Chinese buying vast amounts of property & Mining interests in Australia we should be very wary. They may eventually claim that they own those parts of Australia. They have tried this with countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique & the Seychelles. Inserting Chinese troops in to protect their interests. These areas having also been explored & mapped by General Ho in the 14 hundreds.
Posted by Jayb, Wednesday, 30 May 2012 12:47:27 PM
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Thanks Chris

Your thought-provoking article deserved a considered (and sometimes contrary :) response.

I agree economic over-reliance on China is undersirable as Australia might tend to turn a blind(er) eye to China's authoritarian habits.

Particular dangers exist in Chinese government/corporate monopolies controlling too much of the 'trade loop' with Australia. This is in terms of China owning energy and mineral exploration companies in Australia, buying the mines or oil/gas extraction rights, and then "selling" the products cheaply to themselves.

An additional risk came up last week when Labor opened the door to the possibility of Chinese guest workers being imported into Australia to work the mines and rigs. Yes these workers might be paid union rates but China can always skim off (tax) a fair slice of the pay that they send home to China.

Overall its best if Australia gains greater control of the trade loop and diversifies its customer base to include such rising economic powers as India, Brazil, South Korea, France, Germany and others. Australia should also not take its traditional major customers, the US, UK and Japan, for granted. http://gentleseas.blogspot.com.au/2009/06/australia-missing-out-on-non-chinese.html

Pete
Posted by plantagenet, Wednesday, 30 May 2012 12:48:43 PM
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