China
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China’s challenges: a naive Australian’s perspective
I visited China a few times in the years before Covid. In Hainan, I rode my bike past streets of empty high rise apartment buildings. In Tianjin I visited a near empty new financial district. Locals I spoke to talked about the ‘ghost cities’ of empty buildings. I observed conflicting rules for different parts of Continue reading »
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Ruan Zongze: US must stop sleep walking in the Taiwan Strait
Both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China. Taiwan is part of China’s territory. Although the two sides have been politically against each other for a long time, China’s state sovereignty and territorial integrity has never been split. Continue reading »
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Biden’s China policy, US business and Australia
Washington’s concern about China is real and not just threat inflation, which seeks an enemy to promote military Keynesianism: the traditional method of transferring public money to private corporations in the military industrial sector. Continue reading »
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John F. Copper: Where are the Chinese students going?
According to recent data published in China and admission reports from U.S. universities, the number of Chinese students applying for study in American institutions of higher learning in recent months has fallen markedly. Continue reading »
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Canberra is a fashioned spear for the US against China.
There is an overwhelming boisterous ignorance that characterises Australia’s foreign policy approach to China. Continue reading »
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The Chinese economy: fact, fiction, faith and flexibility
The Chinese economy has long been a source of contention, with predictions of its “imminent collapse” pitted against portrayals of its strength and resilience. Continue reading »
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President Xi signals that governance in Hong Kong must be more mindful of people’s expectations
Clear signs are emerging that Hong Kong’s essential “social contract” is undergoing renovation. Moreover, this process looks set to continue. Before examining why this is so, we need to consider the meaning of this expression. Continue reading »
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Another unprofessional performance by Four Corners, this time on Xinjiang
Several weeks ago Four Corners gave us a special program about Xinjiang Uyghurs sent to prison-style camps and forced to learn Chinese. I watched it recently as a rebroadcast. Continue reading »
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Our Air Force is already ‘operating against China’
Australia is seemingly as eager as ever to be pushed out on a plank by our American friends, professionally. Ever the faithful “patsy”. Continue reading »
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The Chinese non-threat
Our resident non-Chinese speaking, non-Chinese informed but bitterly ‘China is expansionist-aggressive’ commentators in the mainstream media in Australia don’t have,or even want to have, any idea about China? Continue reading »
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Alpha Ngai: Panda Power
Soft power was academically identified by the US political scientist, Joseph Nye, in 1990. It is a prominent aspect of how America projects itself internationally. China’s soft power is rather less developed and today it faces determined resistance. Yet, “panda power” is one form of Chinese soft power that has proved to be remarkably effective Continue reading »
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Caitlin Johnstone: China threatens the US Empire, not the US
So many empire apologist arguments depend on pretending the US empire doesn’t exist; pretending the US is just a normal country sitting there minding its own business. Continue reading »
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Explainer: the complex question of Taiwanese independence
“Strategic ambiguity” – the policy that has underpinned the West’s defence of Taiwan for half a century or more – rests on another ambiguity… Continue reading »
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U.S.-China fight to lead planet earth will be decided “within 15 years”
The clock is ticking on which of the two superpowers will gain primacy over the planet – a lead which will last indefinitely, becoming unassailable, a stunning new study shows U.S. leadership over the planet would lead to a colonial model as seen in recent centuries, with the west assertively pushing its values, says a Continue reading »
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The rise of China- the biggest shift in our international environment since Europeans settled on this continent
We cannot simply rely on the US to keep Asia “safe” in future. Is our Prime Minister really aware of this? Continue reading »
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Wayne Hudson: The importance of creating much greater cultural dialogue between China and Australia as soon as possible
The Chinese Ambassador is trying for a reset and it is tragic that his efforts have been misunderstood and perhaps wilfully so. Continue reading »
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Why is Australia conducting provocative intelligence flights and activities off the China coast in support of the US?
How would Australia react if Chinese ISR (Intelligence ,Surveillance,Reconnaissance) planes were similarly operating off its coast probing its defences and dropping sonobuoys to detect its submarines? Continue reading »
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In the ever deteriorating relationship with China, the mainstream media have a lot to answer for
Australia’s mainstream media seem determined to scuttle a reset of Australia-China relations. Continue reading »
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The goading of China continues day after day. Pelosi was just the most recent deliberate provocation
The path to war in Asia – crossing the Rubicon. Continue reading »
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Would Australian defence of Taiwan amount to the crime of aggression?
The Defence Minister’s Cabinet colleagues must be able to rely him on to provide authoritative guidance on the legal use of military force. The public has a right to expect his statements on international law to be meaningful and correct. Richard Marles has not demonstrated that capacity. Continue reading »
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What does China’s censor censor?
The Chinese trust their government media, but we distrust ours because they have, for so long, distracted us from important issues and lied to us about war. Lee Kuan Yew framed the issue around the Philippines’ media. Continue reading »
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What to do about the Treasure Island of Taiwan
“Sir, with no intention to take offence, I deny your right to put words into my mouth,” Captain Smollett said in Stevenson’s classic Treasure Island. Continue reading »
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The Chinese Ambassador and our ignorant and hostile media
We should be alarmed, if not ashamed, at how some of these journalists behaved and reported. Continue reading »
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Is the Liberal Party abandoning war talk on China?
Is Dutton also preparing to shift ground? Continue reading »
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Does the US know what it is doing, and mean what it says, over Taiwan?
The Chairman of the US Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, seemed quietly confident this week that Australia would be standing side-by-side with the US and Taiwan if China attempted to retrieve its errant and rebellious province by force of arms. Perhaps he knows something I don’t. Continue reading »
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Teow Loon Ti: Nancy Pelosi, the Straw that Taiwan clutched
Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, delivered a resounding slap to the face of Xi Jinping and left, leaving the Taiwanese to pick up the pieces of the damage she did to the Taiwan/China relationship. Continue reading »
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Moon of Alabama – How Pelosi’s visit hurts Taiwan
When Nancy Pelosi made her ‘woke’ flight to Taiwan the U.S. seemed to hope for a Chinese military reaction to it. It positioned an aircraft carrier and two amphibious landing ships in the region. It also shipped additional fighter planes to Japan and South Korea. Continue reading »
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Bob Carr – Keep the peace between China and the US: our goal
If there is conflict between the US and China this is how things might go- a crisis meeting of the Australian cabinet with a resigned air and desultory exchanges, until someone – defence minister or prime minister – says something like, “Well, there’s no alternative, is there?” Continue reading »
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Pelosi visit-‘China wise not to attack plane’
Former US President Donald Trump, said the visit would “make trouble” and “cause great friction”. Continue reading »
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Canberra wants a new arms race in Asia
Australia’s new defence minister has warned the region is facing a dangerous military build-up. His solution? Let’s arm to the teeth with America’s help. Continue reading »