How do we deal with the New Emperor?

[Old Koreelah]

Australia's relationship with The Middle Kingdom goes back centuries.

 

Trade came first and is still our major connection. We helped the British and other foreigners exploit and humiliate her.

 

In wars we've been, by turns, her ally and her enemy. We've taken in lots of her people as immigrants, grudgingly at first. We welcomed her money, ...but now we've become aware of ever more interference in our national affairs by her totalitarian government.

 

How do we maintain our trading links, which prop up our living standard, while maintaining some national independence?

 

://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/hastie-s-awakening-to-xi-s-bid-for-total-control-of-china-and-beyond-20190809-p52for.html

 

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[Yenn]

In the same way we maintain our independence from the USA.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

In the same way we maintain our independence from the USA.

But we aren't, are we.

 

 

[facthunter]

Don't even think about being independent... or they will do to you what they did to New Zealand. Nev

 

 

[Litespeed]

We wish Nev, we could only wish.

 

They have a independent government and a great leader.

 

 

[Yenn]

How could anyone think we are independent of the USA.

 

There is not a single governmental decision that is not carefully vetted to see if it conforms to yankie policy.

 

The Yanks don't even have to tell us what to do, we wouldn't think of doing anything to upset them, such as questioning the president saying there are weapons of mass destruction. Blind Freddy could see that was a lie, but not our mad mob, except maybe Pauline Hanson.

 

 

[old man emu]

All the World is mad,

 

'Cept thee and me,

 

And sometime I wonder about thee.

 

 

[Marty_d]

Pauline's madder than the clown in the White House.

 

It's a balancing act O.K., and it's only going to get harder. I wish we had a decent Foreign Minister at the moment - a Gareth Evans, Kevin Rudd or Julie Bishop - but Marise Payne doesn't inspire me with confidence.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Marty these like buttons are a broad brush- a bit like government policy. Sometimes crazy ideas get swept up with the good.

 

 

[old man emu]

The whole lot need backbone implants.

 

 

[Litespeed]

Not just backbones, they need a actual IQ injection, a heart and a huge dose of ethics.

 

 

[facthunter]

BUGGER me Marty. Are you for real? Those 3 have feet of clay. Poor old Kev 07 is on another planet.of his own. Nev

 

 

[Yenn]

We haven't had a decent foreign minister for many years. Just look at what was done for two Australians in strife.

 

Hicks was condemned to rot in Guantanamo and Julian Assange is getting the same treatment. The reason being of course that it is more important to brown nose the Yanks, than it is to look after our own citizens.

 

If you travel overseas just don't expect any help from the issuer of your Aussie passport, because it will not happen.

 

 

[willedoo]

Pauline's madder than the clown in the White House.

It's a balancing act O.K., and it's only going to get harder. I wish we had a decent Foreign Minister at the moment - a Gareth Evans, Kevin Rudd or Julie Bishop - but Marise Payne doesn't inspire me with confidence.

Usually a Foreign Minister is is right out there, up front and centre and in the news almost daily. This one's like a ghost. It's almost as if she doesn't speak. Was the same as Defence Minister.

 

 

[facthunter]

IF I ever go overseas again I'm going to pretend I'm a New Zealander, if I can get the accent right.. Nev

 

 

[Litespeed]

Use a kiwi black flag not a unionjack blue one, often mistaken for our flag.

 

 

[facthunter]

Thanks for the help. Nev

 

 

[pmccarthy]

You will be baahed from coming back.

 

 

[Marty_d]

BUGGER me Marty. Are you for real? Those 3 have feet of clay. Poor old Kev 07 is on another planet.of his own. Nev

Show me one who hasn't! And Kev may be a space cadet but at least he can connect with the Chinese in their own language.

 

 

[willedoo]

Use a kiwi black flag not a unionjack blue one, often mistaken for our flag.

Of their four final contenders for a new flag, I quite like the black and blue one.

 

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[facthunter]

Marty, I doubt anyone who hasn't lived most of their life in China would impress a native chinese with their "fluent" language skills from what I hear. Nev

 

 

[spacesailor]

The French say the same, except for Paris !.

 

spacesailor