Writer
Gregory Clark
Gregory Clark was the first postwar Australian diplomat trained in Chinese, with postings to Hong Kong, Moscow and the UN before retiring in protest against the Vietnam War. After PhD studies at the ANU he became Japan correspondent for The Australian. A spell in Canberra’s Prime Ministers department led to professorships at Tokyo’s Sophia University and presidency of Tama University, before becoming co-founder of the very successful English language Akita Kokusai Daigaku. He has now retired to Latin America (Peru) and Kiwi fruit growing in Boso peninsular south of Tokyo. His works include ‘In Fear of China’ (1969) and several books in Japan on education and foreign policy. He used to speak Chinese and Russian with fluency. He now speaks Japanese and Spanish.
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The unflinching cruelty of Henry Kissinger
Henry Kissinger’s death has brought a flow of predictable judgements: ‘He created some evils – 1973 Chile, for example. But overall he helped end the Cold War.’ And as a beneficiary – the 1971 opening to China, for example – Australians should be grateful. Continue reading »
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Impressions of China: political stagnation and an economy transformed
After a one week China tour organised by some Chinese entrepreneurs to mark the anniversary of the 1971 pingpong diplomacy which opened China to the outside world, two firm impressions remain. One is the extraordinary pace and dynamism of the economic, and social, progress. The other is the political stagnation, with our guides still clinging Continue reading »
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A Western disease of cause-and-effect amnesia
The savage Israeli reaction to the suggestion by UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, that some Hamas actions may be a response to 56 years of Israeli repression was extraordinary. We have long known about Israeli sensitivity to criticism. But this brings things to a new level. Cannot Israel accept even some of its own responsibility for Continue reading »
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Biden in Hanoi: The ‘Domino theory’ rises again
By chance, US president Biden’s goodwill visit to Vietnam’s communist government in Hanoi came just 50 years after the notorious 1972 Christmas bombings. Continue reading »
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War fever and the military-industrial complex
In the wake of communist collapse we have been presented with a new paradigm in international affairs. No, it is not a tinkering with the standard communism versus democracy we have had to tolerate for more than half a century of war. By strange twist of fate it is democracy which is seen as creating the Continue reading »
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Autonomy: An answer to the Ukraine war
As the Ukraine war moves to its inevitable climax, with either foreign physical intervention and/or use of tactical nuclear weapons seen as the only answers, maybe it is time to look for another answer. Continue reading »
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Japan’s dangerous demonisation of North Korea
Japan is a member of the Quad – the grouping that claims it is working for a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. But in its relations with North Korea, Tokyo is not working for anything free, open, prosperous and inclusive. Continue reading »
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US unilateralism gone mad, HK’s Lee banned from APEC
So US-sanctioned, Hong Kong Chief Executive, John Lee, will not be allowed into the US to attend the forthcoming APEC annual conference. This is US unilateralism gone mad. Continue reading »
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Ukraine and the Minsk Accords
The Ukrainian war could be headed for a dangerous stalement, and at least some of the blame lies with Moscow and its supporters. Continue reading »
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Will the New York Times apologise for its Tiananmen coverage?
The New York Times has in recent years tried to redeem its reputation with a mea-culpa admission over its coverage of the blatantly transparent Iraq Weapons of Mass Destruction myth that enabled the 2003 invasion of Iraq. But over its key role earlier in cementing the Tiananmen Square horror story we have as yet had Continue reading »
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The UN’s anti-North Korea symposium
Japan’s deserves some slack for its sensitivities over its wartime guilt. Others bear some responsibility for that guilt. But for Australia, as much a victim of past Japanese war crimes as most, to have sponsored an UN anti-North Korea symposium today (Friday, June 30) called by Japan in an obvious attempt to justify, or at Continue reading »
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Ellsberg’s warning: stop US empire-building wars before they start
There is only one way to stop politicians and bureaucrats from beginning stupid and immoral wars. Continue reading »
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The Western fantasy of a Taiwanese proxy war against China
The Western hope that Taiwan could serve as a catalyst for an attack of China seems likely to remain the fantasy it always was. Continue reading »
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Psy-ops warriors: Tiananmen Square and the media-pack
As a Hong Kong based columnist for much of his writing career Nury Vittachi was known for his persistent anti-Beijing slant. But no longer. What changed his mind was the mainstream media – the BBC in particular – coverage of the 2019 Hong Kong riots. Continue reading »
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Ugly situation in Kosovo has parallels with Ukraine
The ugly situation developing in Kosovo, formerly a province of Serbia, has parallels with Ukraine. The result could be just as bloody. But is anyone listening? Continue reading »
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The orbit of Russian cultural influence
One of the stranger aspects of the current war, at least for this observer, is the sight of Ukrainian military commanders telling BBC cameras in perfect Russian of their anti-Moscow plans. They have yet to learn to speak Ukrainian. Continue reading »
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Japan’s ‘strike north’ military faction
As a Quad member Japan is supposed to be focussed on Taiwan and the South China Sea. Continue reading »
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Japan-North Korea top secret negotiations
In East West relations it has become something of a habit. First you reach an agreement promising flowers and chocolates. The other side reacts with concessions and hopes for a brighter future. Then your hawks move in. They say you should never have made those promises. The agreement is forgotten or denied, but only after Continue reading »
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Despite US pundits, the Taiwanese do not want war
By some strange reasoning NATO, the US and the pundits seem to think the current war between Russia – Ukraine is a precursor to hostilities they expect to see between Taiwan and China. Continue reading »
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Asian languages education: how did we end up in this mess?
How do we end up with an ALP government stupid enough to sign up for the ludicrous AUKUS proposal and the accompanying bogus, China threat scare? Continue reading »
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The BBC: a giant propaganda unit promoting the Ukrainian cause
In 2015 a BBC documentary on You Tube showed us the remarkable scene of a Ukrainian military unit trying to enter the outskirts of Slovyansk in the Donbas. Continue reading »
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Your atrocity is worse than my atrocity – A reply to Richard Cribb
The ‘your atrocity is worse than my atrocity’ argument at the core of Richard Cribb’s response to Richard Culllen over Japan needs to be handled with care. Continue reading »
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Japanese Ambassador breaches protocol, pushes Australia to embrace ‘China threat’
As a nation Japan would not win many Nobel peace prizes. Continue reading »
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Russia warns Japan on ‘openly unfriendly positions’
Moscow has now warned that Japan’s ‘openly unfriendly positions’ make delayed peace treaty talks impossible. Australia has some connections with those ‘unfriendly positions.’ Continue reading »
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Can Taiwan avoid the fate of Ukraine?
With Russian armies attacking into Ukraine, many have assumed Taiwan faces a similar threat from Mainland China. Continue reading »
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Taiwan backs Chiang Kai-shek’s great grandson in push for peace with Beijing
Defeated in 1949 in its civil war against China’s pro-Communist forces, the Nationalist KMT, or Kuo Min-tang, party has had a victory. But it had to wait till last Sunday’s Taiwan mayoral elections, where it won 13 of Taiwan’s 23 district electorates. Continue reading »
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The PM gushes enthusiasm for closer military ties with Japan. China sees it differently
From the start there was little in PM Albanese’s CV to suggest familiarity with foreign policy, Thanks to a recent interview with him in The Australian we discover he knows even less. Continue reading »
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Australia’s anti-China obsession
Sinophobia is embedded in the Australian DNA. Canberra’s Vietnam War follies were an early proof. Continue reading »
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The War in Ukraine: A report from Moscow
At last count there was only one English speaker reporting the war from the Russian side. For this recent visitor to Moscow, Mr Putin’s war hardly seemed to exist. No soldiers are marching the streets. The TV featured endless food shows. Continue reading »
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PM attending controversial Abe State funeral a diplomatic mis-step
Mr Albanese is coming to Tokyo for the September 27 state funeral of former Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe. Does our PM know or care about Abe’s background? Two thirds of Japanese people oppose the state funeral. Continue reading »
