Craig Hill Media and Consulting
Asia
Australia abandons Asian Century from foreign policy
The centrepiece of the Gillard government’s foreign affairs strategy – the Australia in the Asian Century white paper – has been largely jettisoned by the Abbott government. Craig Emerson, who as a senior Labor minister was responsible for the white paper’s implementation, said yesterday that he was surprised and disappointed the document and all its … Continue reading
Australian government sees Asia as priority over US
Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey has expressed doubts the world has seen the last of the US debt impasse as he urged the United States to get its house in order and signalled a renewed focus on opening more markets in Asia as a response to ongoing instability. In an interview with Fairfax Media, Mr Hockey … Continue reading
Australian Prime Minister says “Japan is our closest friend in Asia”
Tony Abbott has declared Japan Australia’s “closest friend in Asia”, elevating the former World War II aggressor past both China and Indonesia as he continued his regional charm offensive. Mr Abbott met the conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the 18-member East Asia Summit being held over two days in the tiny … Continue reading
Australia’s defence forces must gear up for South China Sea, says expert
Naval tensions over territorial disputes in northeast Asia and the South China Sea are nearing the dangerous point where serious incidents or armed conflict could become inevitable, one of Australia‘s most respected strategists says. Paul Dibb, key architect of the defence of Australia strategy, will warn in a speech to a naval conference this week … Continue reading
China’s ambassador to Australia speaks of important milestones
In three years as Chinese ambassador to Australia, I have witnessed the rapid development of China-Australia relations. Forty years after our two countries established diplomatic relations, a strategic partnership and the annual leaders meeting are important milestones in the development of bilateral ties. China-Australia co-operation has yielded fruitful results across the past three years. Bilateral … Continue reading
Australians face perils by doing business in China
The perils of doing business in China have come into focus again recently, with allegations that staff from the British pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline paid $500 million in bribes over several years. Four executives from GlaxoSmithKline were arrested in July, while its British-born head of China operations has been prevented from leaving the country. There are … Continue reading
China’s bullying tactics backfire in Australia
China’s new leader, Xi Jinping, has revived Chairman Mao‘s doctrine of the “mass line”. The founder of modern China didn’t want the masses to have a vote, but he did think that it was vitally important to understand their views. The “mass line” in Australia today contains an important message to Canberra, and to Beijing. … Continue reading
Australia sees China and US both central to future
Whoever wins the next Australian election will need deftness and subtlety in managing Australia’s foreign relations. This year’s Lowy Institute Poll indicates that Australians want a strong relationship with the US, are wary of China but think we should be able to maintain good relations with both countries. Three in four Australians choose China ahead … Continue reading
India is now the biggest source of migrants to Australia
India has become the leading source of permanent migrants to Australia for the first time, ahead of China, a government report showed on Monday. Reflecting the growing prominence of Asia to Australia, seven of the top 10 source countries during 2011-2012 were from the region, Australia’s Migration Trends study showed. “Between 1996 and 2011, Australia’s … Continue reading
Australian farmers want to establish Indonesian abattoir for Asian sales
The West Australian Farmers Federation is hopeful the state’s live-cattle exporters can establish an abattoir in Indonesia to build markets throughout Asia. Such a move would reduce the need for producers to rely on Indonesian specifications, including the maximum 350kg weight rule for each imported beast. Yesterday WA farmers were underwhelmed by news that Indonesia’s … Continue reading
New Australian defence white paper fails to recognise China as any threat whatsoever
Asia is a potentially turbulent region, yet Australia has no sensible defence strategy. For more than 40 years Australia has been able to assume that it is a secure country in a peaceful region. That has kept its defence needs low and defence budget modest. Now Asia is changing fast, and the old assumptions no … Continue reading
Australia neglects two trillion dollar opportunity exporting agricultural produce to Asia
Major parties are neglecting the $2 trillion opportunity of exporting agricultural produce to Asia, instead miring themselves in the “140 character” world of political bickering and failing to provide the vision and leadership required to take the nation forward, says the head of Australia‘s largest beef producer. AACo chief executive David Farley said Australia should … Continue reading
Experts warn that China’s main motive in new deal is to prise Australia away from US
The “strategic partnership” announced this week between Australia and China is widely viewed within China and by experts internationally as a move in which Beijing hopes to start prising Canberra away from Washington on security matters. But this is a long-term strategy, which is easier for China’s new leaders, who anticipate a 10-year term ahead, … Continue reading
Australian Prime Minister strengthens military alliance with China, ignores 2009 report of threat
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard today will unveil a 10-year plan to tighten Australia’s embrace of China, flagging three-nation military exercises to include the US and more Chinese investment in Australia. The declaration comes as Canberra and Beijing have clinched a deal for an annual meeting mechanism between the Australian prime minister and the Chinese … Continue reading
Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd goes world wide on China’s assertiveness
He may no longer be prime minister but Kevin Rudd is about to again strut the world stage in support of an article for Foreign Affairs magazine on relations between China and the US. Mr Rudd has scheduled trips to South Korea, China and the US as parliament prepares to break ahead of the May … Continue reading
Australian Prime Minister’s attack on foreign workers is ‘damaging Asian strategy’
Julia Gillard‘s attack on foreign worker visa rorts is jeopardising Australia‘s global standing and risks reinforcing perceptions of racial and religious intolerance. Two of the nation’s most experienced diplomats have also warned Labor that the row over 457 temporary migration visas is undermining its Asian Century strategy. Former Australian ambassador to China Geoff Raby said … Continue reading
Australia’s Kevin Rudd supports US pivot as a ‘response to China’
China‘s assertive foreign and security policies are dominating strategic concerns in the Asia-Pacific region and have led directly to a strong US response, according to Kevin Rudd. In an article to be published next month in American journal Foreign Affairs, Mr Rudd says the “pivot” to Asia by US President Barack Obama was a direct … Continue reading
Australia fears having to choose between China and US
Australia does not want to be put in the position where it has to choose between the US and China, the new head of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has declared. In his first major public speech since taking over as DFAT secretary, Peter Varghese said: “The challenge for all of us is … Continue reading
Australian Prime Minister to mend fences with China
Julia Gillard is planning to make up for previous Australian government snubs to China with a visit to Asia’s premier financial forum in the first week of April. Despite the pressures of campaigning for a September election during the pre-budget parliamentary break, the Prime Minister plans to attend the Boao Forum for Asia, held on … Continue reading
Australian firms to ramp up China ventures
Australian companies are ramping up their investments in China as they express renewed confidence about the nation’s economic growth while also warning of tougher competition from Chinese rivals. Almost three quarters of the Australian firms already operating in China are likely to expand their operations in the wake of the country’s leadership transition late last … Continue reading
December 19 1984 Britain and China sign Hong Kong return agreement
On December 19th 1984, in the Hall of the People in Beijing, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Chinese Premier Zhao Ziyang signed an accord committing Britain to give Hong Kong back to China in 1997. In return, China incorporated terms pledging a 50 year continuation of Britain’s capitalist system. Hong Kong, a small peninsula … Continue reading
July 1 1997 Hong Kong returned to China
On July 1st 1997, at midnight, Hong Kong reverted back to Chinese rule in a ceremony attended by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Prince Charles of Wales, Chinese President Jiang Zemin, and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. A few thousand Hong Kongers protested the turnover, which was otherwise celebratory and peaceful. In 1839, Britain … Continue reading
March 10 1959 Tibetans Revolt Against China
On March 10th 1959, Tibetans banded together in revolt, surrounding the summer palace of the Dalai Lama in defiance of Chinese occupation forces. China’s occupation of Tibet began nearly a decade before, in October 1950, when troops from its People’s Liberation Army (PLA) invaded the country, barely one year after the Communists gained full control … Continue reading
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