Colin Mackerras
COLIN MACKERRAS, AO, FAHA is Professor Emeritus at Griffith University, Queensland. He has visited and worked in China many times. He is a specialist on Chinese history, theatre, minority nationalities, Western images of China and Australia-China relations and has written widely on all topics. His many books include Western Perspectives on the People’s Republic of China, Politics, Economy and Society, World Scientific Publishing, Singapore, 2015.
Colin's recent articles
2 February 2025
The Taiwan story, How a Small Island Will Dictate the Global Future, by Kerry Brown, Penguin, 2024
Professor Kerry Brown is among Britain’s most distinguished China specialists. He has written very widely on modern and contemporary China and has experience not only in academia, but also in the British diplomatic service. He has some Australia experience, having directed the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney from 2012 to 2015.
3 September 2024
Chinese culture helps advance modernisation
China's traditional culture has contributed greatly to the country's modernisation. Yet it is not the only factor that has advanced Chinese modernisation. The process of modernisation has been driven by factors such as industrialisation and greater equality brought about by socialism, which have been provided by the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
12 August 2024
Is there any chance the U.S. elections will lead to better relations with China?
Tim Walz has, for a vice-presidential nominee, unusual knowledge and close relationship with China. He has spoken against regarding China as an adversary.
16 May 2024
Asian-Chinese Studies: a glance back at more hopeful days
The disgraceful current state of Asian studies in general and Chinese studies in particular suggests a glance back at the mid-1970s to the early 2000s, when the situation was, if not always greater in a numerical sense, at least much more productive, enthusiastic and forward-looking, and generally much more hopeful.
10 September 2023
Biden: Chinese among bad folks who do bad things
At a political fundraiser in Utah on 10 August, U.S. President Joe Biden described Chinas economy as a ticking time bomb, adding that That's not good because when bad folks have problems, they do bad things. Its not only an unusually undiplomatic comment, but an unfair one that borders on the ridiculous.
12 June 2023
Does the shift in influence in Southeast Asia betoken something more global?
A Lowy Institute survey issued in April this year showed that the balance of Chinese-American influence in Southeast Asia had shifted in Chinas favour over the last few years. Specifically, in overall diplomatic, defence, economic and cultural influence, the balance was 52 to 48 in Chinas favour in 2018 but its lead increased to 54 to 46 in 2022. Two points in the survey are worth adding. One is that the countries where the U.S. lost out most in overall terms included Malaysia and Indonesia. The other is that the areas favouring American influence are military and cultural, while those...
30 April 2023
Let's not talk down to China, but remember its past civilisation
Tianxia, under Heaven, is a concept deriving from ancient China, but undergoing numerous interpretations over the ages. It refers to an idealised territorial/moral world order, equal but harmonious.
15 April 2023
The dangerous one is the U.S.
The implication of AUKUS is that China constitutes a danger to Australian security. It borders on official Australian policy that China is an aggressive power bent on domination. But the history of the Peoples Republic suggests its military is for defence, not aggression and that the cases where it has used external military force are very few. Under Xi Jinping it may be assertive and keen to extend influence, especially economic, but it shows no signs of political/military aggression. On the contrary, it is the U.S. that constantly uses external military force and is bent on maintaining domination at all...
15 March 2023
How can it be that Australia has actually gone backwards in knowledge of China?!
At exactly the same time as proclaimed experts from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute are telling us to prepare for war with China within three years or so, people who have done proper research on the situation with China studies are saying our record is disappointing, indeed getting worse, not better.
8 March 2023
No, its not a joke: China threat theory more alive than ever
The idea that China is lusting after Australian territory is part of the fervid imagination of the worst China hawks. It simply isnt true.
18 January 2023
Historically, its Japan, not China, that invades other countries
With Japan just having taken over the presidency of the Group of 7 at the beginning of 2023, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has wound up a six-day visit to Britain, France, Italy, Canada and the United States.
29 December 2022
Best of 2022: Australias damaging and deluded retreat from Asia
Obsessed with demonising China, the Morrison government appears to exult in its destruction of one of Australia's most valuable relationships.
17 October 2022
Australia should rid itself of the persistent fear of China
Australia must overcome Sinophobia and rejoice in a future in the Asian region.
2 September 2022
Modernity and tradition in China: The 'tribute system', and the absurdity of sinophobia
In many ways, the impact of modernity in China is balanced by traditional patterns. In foreign relations, the modern notion of sovereignty is central, but the traditional thinking behind what historians call the tribute system still explains some of what China does and its attitude to the world and its neighbourhood.
16 August 2022
In the ever deteriorating relationship with China, the mainstream media have a lot to answer for
Australias mainstream media seem determined to scuttle a reset of Australia-China relations.
4 July 2022
The Albanese governments policy on China so far is beyond disappointing
Prime Minister Albanese is happy to begin his prime ministership by fawning on the U.S., Japan and NATO, while all three move further away from China as a systemic competitor, threat or worse.
3 April 2022
The Chinese seem to have given up on Morrison
We think it cant get worse, then it does. Scott Morrison mocks the idea of talking to the new Chinese Ambassador, at least not until China agrees to have dialogue with Australian government ministers.
1 March 2022
Australia descends further into toxic relations with China despite a generous gesture by the new Ambassador
Australia descends further into toxic relations with China despite a generous gesture by the new Ambassador
8 February 2022
Any hope of an Australia-China reset in the new Tiger Year?
A new year, a new Chinese ambassador, half a century since diplomatic relations were established in 1972. Is there any hope of a reset?
3 January 2022
Australias damaging and deluded retreat from Asia
Obsessed with demonising China, the Morrison government appears to exult in its destruction of one of Australia's most valuable relationships.
16 December 2021
'Genocide' finding over treatment of Uyghurs is overreach
The independent Uyghur tribunal has no legal standing, and its findings are not as strong as the Western media has made out.
28 October 2021
Olympic movement must not buckle to China's critics
There have certainly been human rights abuses by Chinese authorities. But calls for a boycott of the 2022 Winter Games are misjudged.
13 September 2021
Common prosperity should be valued in China and not disparaged by critics
Recent news on China has been replete with items about cracking down on the rich, celebrities, the use of videogames by young people and growing inequality.
26 August 2021
How Much Does China Benefit from the Taliban Victory over the United States?
A backward impoverished country, led by a radical Islamist group, has defeated the twenty-year occupation of various Western powers led by the superpower, the United States. Taken by surprise at the speed of the Taliban victory, all these powers could do was to organize the retreat and departure of their own people and Afghan followers, and issue moralistic warnings about their own virtues. Australian Prime Minister, for example, declared that the Australian participation had been right all along, because we were fighting only for justice, despite taking part in a sometimes brutal occupation of a foreign country that proved totally...
16 June 2021
As Biden inflicts a new cold war, his acolyte Morrison shows he has learned nothing from his blunders on China
Morrisons first trip overseas since COVID has shown him as one-eyed, unfair and unwise in his attempt to push his anti-China agenda on the world stage. He has succeeded in making a bad situation even worse. His worship-America policy has helped Biden into a new cold war, this time aimed against China.
7 June 2021
China Panic: Australias alternative to paranoia and pandering by David Brophy
This is a truly excellent account of the panic surrounding Australia-China relations over the last few years, especially since 2017. It is well-researched, analytical, nuanced and very well written in a highly accessible style that is both scholarly and colloquial. One of the books strong features is a whole chapter covering the role China assumes in Australias universities and one each confronting two extremely controversial matters dogging bilateral relations over the last few years, namely Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
12 May 2021
Mike Pompeo and The Xinjiang Genocide Determination
On 19 January 2021, his last day in office, Trumps Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, issued a determination that the PRC, under the direction and control of the CCP, has committed genocide against the predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang. On taking office, Pompeos successor Antony Blinken immediately agreed with this view.
3 May 2021
Please, no war with China
In an unprecedented speech, a senior public servant has floated the possibility, and even necessity, of Australias taking part in a war against China. This is profoundly shocking and worrying and is symptomatic of a new low in our relations with China.
31 March 2021
Australia must change its mindset, especially on international affairs
Australias mindset remained fundamentally unchanged since the days of British imperialism. Western countries, especially the United States and Britain, are still our people, while Asian states, above all China, are not. The world has changed and so must we.
16 March 2021
Australia has more to lose in a human rights 'face off' with China
China is stepping up human rights accusations against Australia following numerous condemnations Australia has made on the same grounds. Before intensifying criticisms of Chinas human rights, Australia should recognize that this can be a double-edged sword.
2 March 2021
The Year of the Ox more productive than Year of the Rat, but reset in Australia-China relations still unlikely
Oxen are more useful to humanity than rats. Here's hoping that the year of the ox, which started on 12 February, will be better than the year of the rat. But, in terms of Chinas relations with the West, and specifically Australia, it hasnt started well. Several factors, especially differing concepts of human rights and the near-collapse of educational exchange are keeping the toxic atmosphere of 2020 very much alive.
4 February 2021
Nine's international editor's demonising of a 'genocidal China' is downright dangerous
Using such a loaded term as genocide as a kind of throwaway is irresponsible, especially when its designed to sneer at nuance. Sneering at anybody wanting more nuance in analysing Australia-China relations is not only unwise but dangerous.
24 January 2021
Pompeo and Blinken are wrong: China is not committing genocide in Xinjiang
On his last day as US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo declared Chinas human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region constituted genocide against ethnic Uighur Muslims. This outrageous declaration was the last of many that Pompeo has issued in a deliberate attempt to destroy relations with China on his way out of office.
14 January 2021
Its dangerous for Australia to be so dependent on the United States
On 6 January 2021, the same day as President Donald Trump crossed the red line into incitement of insurrection in Washington through the assault on the Capitol, his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also crossed a line in provocations against China.
28 December 2020
The long-term global balance of power is favouring China
The twenty-first is likely to be Chinas century. Over the period since I first started visiting and living in China in the mid-1960s, the global balance of power has shifted enormously in Chinas favour. The US and the West have not declined, but China has grown more quickly, in economic, technological, infrastructure and political terms. This trend is likely to continue.
3 December 2020
Bad relations with China are not in Australia's interests
Our leaders tell us continually that they will stand up to China on behalf of Australias interests. But I cannot see how the deteriorating relations with what is still our largest trading partner serves Australias interests in any way. Moreover, Australians should understand that what looks like standing up to China to us often looks to Chinese like provocation.
27 October 2020
Our ignorance of China is a disgrace
Its a disgrace that after half a century or so of multiculturalism, it is still possible that Australian Chinese can be made to feel disloyal merely on the basis of their ethnic background. Thats exactly what happened when right-wing Senator Eric Abetz asked three Chinese-heritage Australians before a Senate committee whether they were willing unconditionally to condemn the Chinese Communist Party.
8 September 2020
China's universities on the rise
China's universities are rising in the world university rankings. The United States is still well ahead, but the balance is shifting in China's favour. The effects of Covid-19 are likely to intensify this shift.
6 August 2020
No war with China, cold or hot
Australia must say no to any war with China, cold or hot. We must not follow US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in characterising US-China relations in Manichean terms, such as freedom and democracy against tyranny.
5 July 2020
China is not a threat to Australia
China is neither an enemy nor a threat to Australia. The Morrison government and mainstream media do us all a great disservice when they set it up as such. This anti-China paranoia must stop, now!!
27 May 2020
COLIN MACKERRAS. The mess of Australia-China relations
The downward spiral in Australia-China relations must stop. The Australian government must take a lead towards a major and long overdue reset.