Knowing China - Australia must learn how to engage

December 22, 2023

Teow Loon Ti is quite correct in stating that China is knowable., however the statement that Australia was not a party to Chinas century of humiliation., is not correct. From its colonial era to post Federation, the Australian population, has been hostile to the presence of Chinese. There are numerous documented examples of violent incidents, commencing in the 1850’s, perpetrated on Chinese gold miners in Australia by non-Chinese immigrants resulting in martial law being applied following the Lambing Flats Riot of 1861 and the creation of the “White Australia” policy and legislation post Federation. Anti-Chinese violence occurred also in China. In 1900 the Australian Government authorized the inclusion of Australian military units serving under British officers to participate in the international military campaign in China known as the Boxer Rebellion (1900-1901). The incident is lionised in the Hollywood movie 55 Days in Peking and today is probably an affront to Chinese intelligence and dignity. There is no doubt that Australia will be significantly influenced by Asian affairs in the future, however it is unfortunate that remnants of anti-China sentiment persist thus preventing the development of an integrative attitude towards the reality that China is today.