How dragon and kangaroo can fly together
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Although Australia is a country of immigrants and a pluralistic society in South Pacific, it is Western in its thought and action. Like Britain and the United States, it suffers from superiority complex when it comes to Asian countries. It shows great interest in human rights, freedom and democracy in China, but knows little about China's political and economic reform.
Many Australian media outlets see China as a dictatorial, autocratic, adventurous and aggressive country. Australia's attitude toward the Dalai Lama and separatist activities in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is ambiguous.
Sino-Australian ties have been strained partly because Australia has failed to find its right strategic position.
The problem with Australia is that it tries to play the "bridge" between East and West but feels confused with the rise of China. On one hand, it hopes China would become a strong pillar of regional stability. On the other, it is upset with China's rapid rise, and even worried that China could threaten its interests in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia wants to cooperate with East Asian countries and share the spoils, but it also wants to design its own blueprint for Asian regional cooperation.
As an Asia-Pacific power, Australia's competence is not compatible with its ambition. Therefore, it would be wise for it to cooperate with the rest of the world and avoid confrontation.
Strained relations, however, don't change the general cooperative situation between China and Australia. In fact, they should avoid turning their differences into structural contradictions. The two countries' leaders and governments should build strategic mutual trust to create a favorable situation and achieve long-term gains.
They have to take measures to encourage more academic exchanges between their scholars and members of their think tanks, and start track-two diplomacy to explore ways to improve bilateral ties. They should take effective measures to promote non-governmental communications in fields such as education, technology, culture and sport.
If the two countries take such a course, China's image in the Australian media will become more real and Australians will finally realize that China is an opportunity rather than a threat.
The author is a research fellow with the Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
