Look at facts on China
JCU’S hosted Asian Market Forum in Townsville recently highlighted Audrey Xiaohong Zheng of Queensland’s Bank of China pointing to a lagging of Chinese investment since 2013 as the resources sector tanked.
Negative Chinese sentiment trotted out by a local commentator last week sent me on a fact finding mission, the only antiseptic to mischievous opinions.
The US proves to be Australia’s biggest foreign investor by far at 27.5 per cent, UK next at 14.7 per cent and then Belgium at 9.3 per cent. China is only 2 per cent and Hong Kong at 3.6 per cent. The US over 2016- 2017 increased investment by 5.1 per cent, China’s investment decreased by 22.8 per cent and Belgium’s investment increased by 13 per cent ( Sourced DFAT YE 2017.)
Our exports to China are $ US68 billion, but to the US only $ 8 billion.
Australia is part of the Asian/ Pacific story, but our relationship with China has deteriorated and drifted with a different rhetoric tone and narrative lately.
China has doubled down on its soft power charm offensive, thrusting the Middle Kingdom as the NWO’s champion of globalisation/ economic integration.
However, the notion of a culturally acceptable Chinese Model has never been clearly defined thus far, and sceptically received here in Australia.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI) is the flagship that offers huge infrastructure investment opportunities, connecting Europe, Africa and Asia with all roads pointing to Beijing, the contemporary Via Appia. Australia’s cutbacks on foreign aid to many Pacific Island small economies has allowed China to bankroll infrastructure building in such places, with little or no ability of these smaller economies to pay back debt to their “Economic Imperial” banker.
Kevin Rudd, speaking recently, gave an incisive, eclectic Q& A, stating Australia could walk and chew gum at the same time by encouraging Oz governments to enlist via the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ( AIIB) to force transparency/ protocols/ processes to buttress Australia’s participation. China’s aggressive acquisition and militarisation of the South China Sea, its intimidation of Vietnam, the Philippines and even Japan, has made its intentions crystal clear.
With the US taking a more isolationist position rather than being the unloved international reviled policeman, and Vladimir Putin demanding to be treated as a big world player in an ever increasing muscle- flexing world, geopolitics changes by the day.
It is vital that Australia steps out of its lethargy on the BRI and becomes more engaged with our Asian region/ neighbours, particularly its biggest player, China’s Xi Jinping. Having a seat at the big table, while not meaning genuflection, allows for a far more constructive engagement, dialogue on major issues including social issues.
Surely, “mutually” beneficial trade can be an instrument for peace, can’t it?