POLS2201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Anglosphere, Asian Century, Northeast Asia
Lecture 6 - Australia and Northeast Asia
Australia: Engaging Asia
1788-1945: Asia as source of threat, tensions over Asian immigration (e.g. 1850s)
1970s: End of White Aus Policy
Asian engagement begins
beginning of refugee flows from Vietnam
1980s-present: Economic and security engagement
arguably still limited by debates about region as a source of threat, Aus as part of
Anglosphere?
Anglosphere membership = do we need to be engaged in Asia?
Australia in the Asian Century?
2012: Gillard launches Aus in the Asian Century White Paper
outlined 25 objectives for Aus to take advantage of Asian economic growth, including
Asian language training and more diplomats in region:
Critics:
Where's the funding for programs (eg. education, diplomacy)?
Asia positioned as the source of Aust econ growth
Every generation, Aust politicians discover Asia (e.g. Keatings were part of Asia)
future under conservative govt?
fo pol white paper: all about indo-pacific
not just asia, but india etc
China, Chinese FP
China by numbers:
Population: 1.38bil and growing, about 20% global pop
Econ growth: GDP grown 10-fold in last 30 years
worlds 3rd largest econ - but around 70-80th per capita
military expenditure: increased 10%+ per annum since 1999, now 2nd behind US
8% increase to 2018
Greenhouse emissions: now worlds largest producer of CO2 (and key market for
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Aust coal)
recent embrace of renewable energy
still over 26% of glob greenhouses emissions
Chinese FP:
The middle kingdom
Introspective
permanent member of the UNSC since 1971
FP:
realist in orientation, but with recent discovery of soft power
Overwhelming concern with Westphalian sovereignty
Power-broker with north korea
opponent of TMD
theatre missile defence
deployment of nuclear and conventional missiles for the purpose of maintaining
security in a specific region, or theatre
focus on rapid economic dev as paramount (e.g. Sudan, UNFCCC)
territorial claims in South China Sea
About access to resources?
About seeing how far it can push other countries?
Key question: regional ambitions?
China and the Global Power Shift?
Hugh White: China growing, Aus may have to choose to align itself with China in th
region, revisiting links to US in the process
US-China Rivalry?
bad under bush, with regular US criticisms of China (human rights, transparency of
mil spending)
better under obama, worse under trump
US in relative decline and China in relative growth, BUT still big military power
discrepancies, lots of domestic challenges for China, China lacking in soft
power/public diplomacy
Dyer (2013): regardless of ambition, China will continue to be #2
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BIG QS:
Is china status quo or revisionist?
what implications of a trump presidency for US-China engagement?
China-Aus Rel’s: Overview
Chinese migration to Aus and ethnic tension (e.g. goldfields, 1850s_
white aus policy as response?
Signed with US against China in early CW
relations normalised in 1970s, after Whitlam, and then Nixon, visited China
now auss largest trading partner
White: aus drifting into Chinas sphere of influence?
ALP Govt: early positive moves (Rudd speaking Mandarin, visit to China)
some diplomats tension (e.g. serious human rights issues in Tibet)
underpinned by economic concerns
annual meetings secured
Coalition Govt: FTA agreed
annoyed with comments about Japan as Auss best friend in the region
Concerns re South China Sea
recent tension over Chinese investment in Aus
Clive Hamiltons Silent Invasion published 2018: China is interfering in Aus sov,
turning Aus into a puppet state
Security: Cooperation and Contestation
contestation:
korean war (1950-3)
Australian + Chinese military head to head
missile defence under Bush, Howard and role of Australian bases
cyber attacks on Aust companies, Aust PM emails?
Auss criticism of Chinas air defence zone in South China sea in late 2013
official: strongest public rebuke of Aust foreign minister in 30 years
defence white paper 2016: Aus does not take sides on competing territorial claims
in the SC Sea but we are concerned that land reclamation and construction
activity by claimants raises tensions in the region, particularly the
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Document Summary
1788-1945: asia as source of threat, tensions over asian immigration (e. g. 1850s) Asian engagement begins beginning of refugee flows from vietnam. 1980s-present: economic and security engagement arguably still limited by debates about region as a source of threat, aus as part of. 2012: gillard launches aus in the asian century white paper outlined 25 objectives for aus to take advantage of asian economic growth, including. Asian language training and more diplomats in region: Asia positioned as the source of aust econ growth. Every generation, aust politicians (cid:1684)discover(cid:1685) asia (e. g. keating(cid:1685)s (cid:1688)we(cid:1685)re part of asia(cid:1689)) future under conservative govt? fo pol white paper: all about indo-pacific not just asia, but india etc. Population: 1. 38bil and growing, about 20% global pop. Econ growth: gdp grown 10-fold in last 30 years world(cid:1685)s 3rd largest econ - but around 70-80th per capita military expenditure: increased 10%+ per annum since 1999, now 2nd behind us.
