Oh dear. Another "what to do about China" article. Written by politicians.

This one is a classic of its genre, bogged down in a slurry of corporate-speak, misty generalizations and motherhood statements.

Exhibit A

"First, we should focus on the opportunities... the things we do better than other nations."

What might those be, I wondered. None was offered, even as an example. Instead we are given:

"Managing industrial transformation is an important challenge for our nation. It is also important that we maintain a bipartisan conversation about how structural change is vital if we are to continue increasing living standards"

Transformation to what? What structural change? If the latter is "vital", it sure would help if we knew what we are aiming for.

"The growth of the Asian middle class means a massive increase in consumption and spending on imported goods and services, the supply of which Australia is well placed to provide."

Well placed? Really? "Education, tourism and technical expertise" sound all very well, but none bears close scrutiny.

We are going backwards in the international education market, strangled by sclerotic administration, and undermined by a penchant for racial abuse against our "customers".

Our tourism industry has moved little since the 1950s. It still believes that if we parade enough koalas in front of visitors, they will ignore the appalling rural accommodation and unimaginative presentation. And our truly boring cities too. Sydney - only marginally - excepted.

Technical expertise? The most likely export category on that front is the brains themselves - we haven't the first notion how to develop and exploit our technical strengths locally, the dead hand of government intervention is pervasive.

What else?

Oh, yes.

"...we should revitalise the push for a Republic"

That will increase the percentage of Mandarin-speakers, for sure.

Of course, I know I'm whistling in the wind. What else could one expect from people who have never actually worked in business, and ended up in politics.

The problem is, they don't just write articles. They vote on stuff that affects all of us.

Truly terrifying.