Hi Pericles, I doubt that the line of our last few posts here will lead to much productive, so I want to actually DO what you claimed I did in the last couple. "Change the subject" kind of.

Regarding China..

RACIAL AND RELIGIOUS VILIFICATION ACT...

Opinions invited on this from all sides.

Is it 'inciting hatred' against Chinese to say (public sign, or forum)

'FREE TIBET'

Yes no or maybe.. (it implies Tibet is held captive by... 'China')

How about "FREE TIBET FROM CHINESE OPPRESSION"?

Could this be understood as condemning ALL Chinese? Thus the Chinese 'race' is vilified and people will be more likely now to hate chinese simply because of their race?

We could add a few adjectives to spice it up of course.

"FREE TIBET FROM CRUEL INHUMAN CHINESE OPPRESSION AND RACIST IMPERIALISM"

In my view, it could not be vilification in the meaning of the act unless one said

"Free Tibet from Chinese oppression and fight against all Chinese everywhere"

I'd be most interested in responses to this :)

It is easy to accept that China's manufacture competitive advantage is its low labour cost. Both politician and average people like to accept it.

China's competitive advantage is decided by its technology, low labour cost, abundant quality human resource, economic scale, infrastructure etc.

If I say that China's competitive advantage is also based on its advanced techniques, few Australian is willing to accept it.

But, please considering that there are hundreds of research institutes in China, which each houses thousands of research engineers, are there ten this kind of research institutes in Australia? Of all Australian professionals, how many are Chinese Australian?

There are a lot of reason that not many Australian like R & D job, and maybe it is part of Australian culture.

Centra,65 Chinese make one Australian.Unlike China we don't treasure human intellect.Our Govt does not aid or back Aust innovation or inventions.Most of it goes to the US,Europe or in the case of solar technology,to China.
Presently,China is trying to buy BHP/Biliton and when they will eventually do it,what power will they then hold over our own Govt?

This free trade debacle is all about giving power to a select few.This is not good economics!

1. China is the biggest in population country on our planet. That means the biggest market in the world.
2. Modern industries cost very much but they are very productive, The minimum daily quantity to cover their basic expenses is enough high and only countries with big markets can use them.
3. A big market as China gives the opportunity for the creation of many and different kind of modern industries. Each industry partly could support others while the whole economy do not depend from one from one industry or one kind of industries. Any problem in any kind of industry could have low impact in the whole market or country. That means big many,modern industries in a stable environment, that means excellent environment to attract foreign investors.
4. Cheap, skilled, hard working employees, high productivity extremely low working costs give one more high advantage to China.
5. Without China's low cost consumer products many developed countries could have huge social problems, they need China more than China needs them. That means USA or any other country is benefited from Chine and they would prefer to support China in difficult times, than to find their self with big problems.
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Arjay, 'twas ever thus, I'm afraid.

>>This free trade debacle is all about giving power to a select few.This is not good economics!<<

On the contrary, it IS economics.

A few posters have pointed out the obvious. The US and Europe, as highly developed economies, have for the past thirty years provided China with an ideal market for its products. Using the money it has earned, China was able to invest heavily in its own internal economic advancement. Hundreds of millions of its citizens were able to cross the poverty line, as better-paying jobs became available.

This in turn created enough wealth internally to sustain massive growth of those businesses, since not only can Californians buy its products, but its own citizenry can.

"The select few" are all those countries in the same position as China. A healthy spread of export markets, and a fast-growing internal market. Perfect conditions in which to grow a powerful nation.

My question stands: why begrudge them the opportunity they have created? Why even question it? It is after all how all sound international economies grow and prosper.

And Boaz, I'm not surprised you ducked the Treaty of Tientsen issue. However, you have asked a couple of interesting questions on the topic of racial vilification. Off topic, but here goes.

"Free Tibet" is a slogan carried on placards. It is harmless. "Free Tibet from Chinese oppression" is a slogan carried on placards, and is harmless until you parade it in Tiananmen Square. "Free Tibet From Cruel Inhuman Chinese Oppression And Racist Imperialism" is probably too long for a placard - one's attention tends to wander half way through. I doubt very much whether it comes under the heading of racial vilification, though, since you are referring to a country's government policy, as opposed to racial characteristics.

I still wouldn't recommend waving it about in Tianenman Square, though.

Have a great day.

China is an economic disaster waiting to happen. Many of the workers are little better than slaves. Their money is being recycled rather than made. They are, quite literally, being paid from their own forced savings.
There is an economic elite of course which makes it appear that China is booming. It is also highly corrupt.
All this is combined with a power base that is both terrified of losing control and also determined to dictate not just to the Chinese but the rest of the world.
Australia needs to find other markets - and find them fast. We have far too many eggs in the China basket. The world should not begin and end with China but it will for Australia if we continue to allow the Chinese leadership to dictate to us. There is the rest of Asia, there is Africa, there is South America and, believe it or not, Europe and the Middle East still exist too. It is time Australia started to expand horizons rather than concentrate efforts on a country that wants to dictate how we can do business and with whom.