China-Australia Relationship One America Should Emulate

The rapidly growing economic cooperation between China and Australia is breathtaking. The state visits of Australian Prime Minister John Howard to China, and Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to Australia in 2006 cemented the relationship. They are partners in a $25-billion natural liquefied gas project in Guangdong, China. Beijing is also set to become a key buyer of Australian uranium. Australia has the world’s largest uranium deposits.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, a Mandarin speaker, is aggressively pushing Australia’s relationship with China and the region beyond the economic and strategic. He strongly believes Australia’s future lies predominantly in developing deep relationships with China. “Will China democratize? How will China respond to climate change? How will China deal with crisis in the economic and financial systems? How will China respond domestically to the global information revolution? And how will Chinese culture adjust to the array of global influences now washing across its shores?...How China responds to these forces will radically shape the future course of our country,” said Rudd. He added, “I am committed to making Australia the most Asia-literate country in the collective West.” He is hitching his horse to the rising wagon, make that dragon. Why isn’t America?

Granted the task of getting average Aussie Joe six pack to speak fluent Putonghua and watch Chinese movies is no easy challenge. Australia is a country of 21 million people, most of whom are racist and xenophobic towards China. Sino-Australian relations hold promising prospects for mutual prosperity. China’s soft approach is not limited to Asia or Australasia. It is reaching out of the region to Europe, Africa and Latin America as well.