A nation jumping at shadows

William Briggs warns that unjustified anti-China sentiment is being peddled by Australian voices from across the political spectrum — from the hard Right to the progressive Left

THIS country has a long and inglorious history of building antiChina threat perceptions. Barely a day seems to pass without a story alerting us to some new threat from China. Former prime minister John Howard has weighed in, saying China “could” use its expat population to help grow its influence in the region. Media company Huawei, we are constantly told, “could” pose a threat to Australian security. There is a virtual wave of anti-Chinese sentiment rolling over us.

Three separate news stories intersect in such a way as to give rise for more concern.

The first was the pomp and pageantry that accompanied the “centenary of mateship” in the US. Deputy US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan waxed lyrical about how Australia and the US “stand together in an interesting and complex world” and that the “relationship needs leaders who can deal with ambiguity, uncertainty and change”.

As the flags were waving, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was on his way to China. An unnamed US defence official told The Financial Times Mattis was to deliver a “medium tough” message to Beijing.

The third piece of news was the Senate’s bipartisan adoption of the disturbing Foreign Interference Bill.

This legislation is primarily aimed at China and will inevitably fuel anti-Chinese sentiment. It is a disturbing sign of the times but we are confronted, on an almost daily basis, with anti-Chinese rhetoric. Why? What possible benefit is there to Australia, its people, security, economic wellbeing or sense of multicultural harmony, in increasingly fervid displays of anti-Chinese sentiment?

What is also disturbing is that this rhetoric is all but universal. Government ministers, Opposition figures, progressive academics and Right-wing demagogues all share this call to condemn China for just about everything.

The Foreign Interference legislation is unashamedly aimed at China and will compel thousands to list themselves on a public register if they lobby for, or co-operate with, a “foreign” person or entity. Who this might affect can become very broadly interpreted — academics, journalists, politicians (both past and present) and business figures might well be caught up in this worrying new law.

The negative ramifications are huge. Interactions between people across national borders are threatened and yet it is in the interaction between people that trust is built.

The irrational anti-China sentiments that are occupying so many in this country are being expressed in many ways. Foreign investment is all but inevitably distilled to be Chinese investment. Despite this, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade statistics clearly indicate that Chinese investment in Australia comes in at ninth place, well behind the US, UK, Belgium, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. These facts, however, count for little when we appear to be hellbent on creating an enemy.

There are serious and trivial displays of this now acceptable prejudice. It is almost a case of watch this space as the heat rises in what are xenophobic and racist outbursts. While the Right may have primitive axes to grind, and governments are caught up in economic-nationalist sentiment, there is one champion of the antiChinese brigade who deserves special mention.

PROFESSOR Clive Hamilton has brought debate to a low ebb. It would be fitting if he was pointing to the dubious record of Chinese human rights or the treatment of workers or of an authoritarian, repressive form of governance. But no, these injustices are a side-issue in his vitriolic attacks. The professor’s book, Silent Invasion: China’s Influence in Australia, attacks China as a state, and demonises the 1.2 million Australians of Chinese descent. He makes the claim that many of these Australian citizens are not loyal to this country. He casts suspicion over many of the 130,000 Chinese students and then turns his fire on academics, scientists and researchers of Chinese descent. Australian business leaders and political figures are singled out. All of these are described by Hamilton as being potential fifth columnists.

It is no surprise the book has become a rallying cry for the more outlandish and illinformed. The virulent Rightwing and racist political groups in Australia are well-pleased to read that universities that accept donations from local Chinese businessmen are “stained” by “dark money” or that “cashedup Chinese bidders” are “taking homes from Australians”. They would heartily agree that too many Chinese immigrants are being allowed in, and “that parts of Sydney no longer feel like Australia”. It saves them the bother of painting slogans on walls. It ought to be a concern when the unacceptable becomes accepted.

The legislation passed by the Australian Parliament serves to legitimise these views and brings them more into the mainstream. Hamilton’s book and now the legislature of this country are playing a serious part in building an antiChinese climate in Australia.

Hamilton warns that in the event of a conflict, local Chinese “citizens and noncitizens alike” would “create ongoing and potentially severe civil strife”. This, he argues, would be “orchestrated” from the Chinese embassy.

Political figures slurred include Hawke, Keating, Howard and Rudd. Corporate fifth columnists include Gina Rinehart, Kerry Stokes and Andrew Forrest. It is one thing for avowed racist groups to make such claims but it is much worse for a leading academic figure to share such a platform. The Government is, consciously or not, promoting further misunderstanding and ignorance.

We would do well to pause and consider the great majority of fifth columnists of whom Hamilton speaks.

He is not merely targeting political and business figures. He is talking about ordinary hardworking Australians whose descendants have lived in this country for over a century.

This city and state has been home to Chinese-Australians for as long as this city and state have existed. They have worked hard, provided stability and wealth, and have been at the core of the life of

There are serious and trivial displays of this now acceptable prejudice. It is almost a case of watch this space as the heat rises in what are xenophobic and racist outbursts.

Tasmania and Hobart, and in every town and every city in the country. These people are not stooges of a foreign power. They are often outspoken critics of Beijing and have little more than a cultural link to a China that is no more.

This, however, is not the issue as we create an atmosphere of distrust and find enemies where there are none.

We need to return to the question, why? Who can possibly benefit from such a behaviour? Hamilton’s work has been singled out but it is not simply the misguided actions of one man. He represents a mindset being promoted at all levels in this country.

The anti-Chinese voices become more strident with each passing day.

Government, the media, some in academia, all speak of perceived threats from Beijing. It is getting serious. Words become actions. Theory becomes practice. Few voices are raised against a wave of nonsense and hysteria that is enveloping public discourse.

The Right-wing demagogue, the progressive academic, the media of all stripes are increasingly becoming echoes of one another.

THE problem is the economic rise of China. US economic dominance is threatened and subsequently, its prestige in the region and beyond is threatened. Australia is enmeshed in a dilemma that could become dreadful. Australia is tied, irrevocably it would seem, to the interests of the US but our economic future is to be found in quite another direction. Our leaders tread this tightrope but seem to have no vision as to where it will lead.

We talk, bravely, of an independent foreign policy but the tightrope has no safety net and our leaders seem to have no will to find a way of getting off the wire. In the meantime, we have a rise in anti-Chinese hysteria, in fear mongering and in the engendering of hatred where there really should be none.

William Briggs lives in Hobart. He has a PhD from Deakin University with special interest in international relations and the global political economy.