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Australian PM denies closer Japan ties hurt China relations

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The normal mature contractual partnership forged between Australia and Japan ( characterized by other democratic, "free"-market, human-rights supporting nations) will work to help China understand that bullying, smearing the name of a people, name calling, and emotional grandstanding will NOT work to promote its place in the free world.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

Its hardly Australia's fault if two of the worlds largest trading and economic partners in the world can't get along is it.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Of course any leader would be quick to assert that strengthening economic and political ties with one trade partner will not conflict with similar ties to another, yet I think you would have to seriously will yourself into believing that this is in any way possible. China will continue to do business with Australia (and Japan for that matter), but the reality is that Australia has the choice of entering into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (with China and Russia at the core) or to join with the alternative TPP crowd (in which the second largest economy has not been invited to join). It is safe to say that as these two spheres of influence seek to expand, confrontation on many levels will be the result. In such a reality, you could very well argue that Australia IS involved in a zero-sum game, while at the same time sympathizing with their situation. The question is, are they making the right choice?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Exactly right semperfi.

China has no right to comment on the relationship at all, and Australia should ignore their pathetic bleating.

Mr Abe's visit has been a huge success. I can tell you that Australian talkback radio this morning is filled with calls from people who are applauding him. They are impressed that he addressed the Parliament in English, that his speech was full of goodwill, and that, particularly, he made a direct reference to the misery caused to Australians by Japanese soldiers in WW2 - which was unexpected but widely appreciated. The media too, are giving this wide coverage and are glowing in their praise. This trip has been a bit of a coup for Abe San.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

“Sometimes countries disagree, but it is possible to have respectful disagreements that don’t in any way prejudice the friendship,” just wish Japan and China could understand that

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Australian PM denies closer Japan ties hurt China relations

Just their pride.

During the address, he honored the courage of Japanese submariners during World War II.

Ah, that'll go down well. (Any submariner is brave in my book, some more than others)

Bishop herself earned the ire of Beijing last November when she called in China’s ambassador over the sudden announcement of an air defence identification zone over the East China Sea.

Oil, fire.

“Sometimes countries disagree, but it is possible to have respectful disagreements that don’t in any way prejudice the friendship,” just wish Japan and China could understand that

Trade, joint research etc carry on regardless. Smart people rise above differences.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Isn't this interesting? Australia wants to do lip service to both China and Japan, taking a moral high ground and making lots of money at the same time. Some people think they are so special and can get all the goodies, aren't they?

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

Australia wants to do lip service to both China and Japan

I don't like the Liberal party but I approve of their actions.

Bishop herself earned the ire of Beijing last November when she called in China’s ambassador over the sudden announcement of an air defence identification zone over the East China Sea.

This is lip service to China? Please explain.

Increased cooperation with Japan in trade and defense is also lip service to China? Please explain this too.

“We are working on a free trade deal with China, I am still reasonably optimistic we will succeed there. We want better friendships with everyone,” he added. (Abbott)

Ball is in China's court.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Some people think they are so special and can get all the goodies, aren't they?

What are you talking about?!

Australia doesn't need to choose between the two countries, plain and simple. And that has nothing to do with self-perception.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Australian PM denies closer Japan ties hurt China relations

Of course. Why would it hurt China-Japan relations?

China is in the process of buying Australia.

Sydney is one big China town

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

China is in the process of buying Australia.

Funny. I remember the same thing being said about the Japanese in the 80's.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Australia wants to do lip service to both China and Japan, taking a moral high ground and making lots of money at the same time.

Interesting. I think China doesn't seem to realize that nations have relationships with many other nations, even when those other nations don't necessarily get along with each other.

Contrast with China's insistence that countries that have formal diplomatic ties with China renounce their recognition of Taiwan as independent.

China's not used to getting push back from either its own citizens or the world at large, but now it wants to hang with the big boys and it's gotta realize that most countries aren't going to do something just because China insists on it. That may work with the Chads and Sudans of the world, but not Vietnam, or Australia, or all the Pacific Rim neighbors.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Sydney is one big China town

Full of Chinese who don't want to live in China.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Tamarama,

Funny. I remember the same thing being said about the Japanese in the 80's.

I remember that too.

But they ran out of money.

The bubble burst.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

JT neglected to mention that it was the Australian Federal Labour party that accused the Liberal Government of strengthening the relationship with Japan at the risk of damaging the relationship with China. Australia is not exempt from internal politics. Not that I'm a labour supporter, but based on the Liberal's current performance I'd expect there will a change of government in Australia at the next election and my prediction would be Japan will have the same result based on Abe's performance. The current Australian government are entirely out of their depth in many areas, especially where foreign affairs are concerned. There is only one way for both countries to go after a change of the current governments, and that is up!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Australia is the sweet16 girl who has to choose one of the boy as her sweetheart. In the perfect world, the girl can cheat all of her boyfriends for getting her way. Uncomfortable truth is there is bread and butter issue will overtake the pride and Anzac sprit. At the end, sweet girl has to choose arrogant and ugly boy for financial security or handsome police man who is dependent on the ugly boy for his mortgage.

Since 2002, Australia has enjoyed the golden age of prosperity driven by China infrastructure boom. It was the act of fine balancing economic interest and security alliance from Mr Howard. However it will not balance forever. Bishop has started showing her crush on corrupted policeman. On the other hand, she will lose major trading partner. She can not date with all forever.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I would take my hat off to Australian PM Abot for the way he made himself very clear that Australia believes in giving an equi-distant treatement to both China nad Japan instead of getting more out of one at the expense of the other, hammering out the political philosophy that every country shouls take a common-sense approach toward diplomacy, which presupposes that we should agree to disagree. This is where China should emulate Australia in order to rise above jingoistic naionalism. The portion of the article where Abot honored the courage of Japanedse submarines during WW2 would strike me as being in the "wrong" taste; in the light of what Abe has recently done at home to re-interpret the war-renouncing constitution, giving a deaf ear to a strong opposition from the people, Abot's speech might have been taken as indicating more than giving lip service to Abe. I hope it did not give the japanese a swollen head.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The enemy of my enemy is my friend?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

No one here realises it, but both China and Japan will need Australia in the future. I firmly believe that if Australia had a bigger population, it would be the most powerful nation on Earth. We have the most coal, iron ore, 60% of the world's uranium and oil reserves that rival Saudi Arabia.

... only to be hampered by decades of governments dropping the ball on investment in infrastructure!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Here is an interesting book that you guys may want to read, Australia’s ‘Dangerous Allies’. A new book by former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser hopes to send Australia a wake-up call. “After the end of the Cold War Australia had – for the first time in its history – the opportunity to pursue its own interests and to seek in Fraser’s words, “peace, cooperation, and trust” in its region. Instead it chose to accompany the U.S. into violent fiascos in the Middle East. America’s dearth of strategic competitors allowed exceptionalism to become the dominant driver of U.S. foreign policy, and Australia followed where the U.S. led. To this day Australians remain uncertain just what it was they were fighting for.”

“In Fraser’s view, the story will not end with fiascos in the Middle East. He is rather concerned with Australia being fooled a third time: pulled, as it were, into either a rivalry or an outright conflict between the U.S. and China. Fraser argues that the only strategy America’s leaders seem to understand is that of containment. He agrees with the Chinese that the “pivot” to Asia is about containing China, insisting that actions speak louder than words. Increased military deployments and beefed up regional alliances speak loudly – and of something other than benevolence.”

“Consequently, Australia’s relationship with the U.S. is paradoxical: it needs the U.S. for its defense, but it only needs defense because of the U.S.”

0 ( +1 / -1 )

BertieWoosterJul. 10, 2014 - 05:07PM JST Tamarama, "Funny. I remember the same thing being said about the Japanese in the 80's." I remember that too. But they ran out of money. The bubble burst.

That will happen to China as well. No such thing as a perpetual boom.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

OssanAmerica,

That will happen to China as well. No such thing as a perpetual boom.

That's right.

That's what I wanted to imply.

But, I wonder which will be the next bubble to burst, the U.S.A.'s or China's?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Two things;

China doesn't really have the right to be upset if two sovereign nations want a closer relationship-which has partially come about due to China's own behavior.

The mutual interdependence between China and Australia make the fact that China is annoyed irrelevant. This is true for many of the partnerships China has.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

However it will not balance forever. Bishop has started showing her crush on corrupted policeman. On the other hand, she will lose major trading partner. She can not date with all forever.

Yes, yes it will forever. This is how international relationships work. China won't restrict trade with Australia, they are too interested in $$$$$.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yes, yes it will forever. This is how international relationships work. China won't restrict trade with Australia, they are too interested in $$$$$.

NO it will not last forever. $$$$$ is flowing into Australia for exchange of iron ore and LNG. Not as other way around. Reality is Africa and Latin America are catching up with Australia for becoming the resource suppliers. They are far away from China and less developed for mining exploration. It does not mean they will stand still behind forever.

Australian iron ore and LNG may be the finer quality. However consumer will concern about reliablity, cost and efficiency too. In term of market, only India can replace the China demand. In term of supplier , other resource rich continent can replace the Australia as exporter.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Australian PM denies closer Japan ties hurt China relations

This means Australian is smart to take the big chance to meet JP's need, and will not fight against China, Especially no military conflict with China.

This is the same way with the USA: Just want to benefit from the conflict.

China know about this, so what Australian do will affect little to China and Australia.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Left-wing politicians and Leftist Medias will always noise whatever Tony Abbot does. I don't give a damn about leftist Fairfax Journalists and self-claimed expertise their own opinion. Australian is on right track under Tony Abbott lead Coalition Government.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

BertieWoosterJul. 11, 2014 - 07:06AM JST OssanAmerica, That will happen to China as well. No such thing as a perpetual boom. That's right. That's what I wanted to imply. But, I wonder which will be the next bubble to burst, the U.S.A.'s or China's?

China. The USA has gone through many economic bursts in it's history. It has always survived. China has no experience. Furthermore China is hindered by the fact that for them continuous perpetual economic growth is a necessity to keep social order. Even if they have to lie about it. And continuously lying simply makes the inevitable downfall greater.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

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