[Sampanviking]

I know what you are thinking - forum a bit slow these days so old Sampan resorting to cheap sensationalism to grab attention, but, be ye not so hasty oh thou un-chivalrous ones.

If China wanted to gain a position in the region which liberated it from its current Geographical restraints, it could do a lot worse than Oz.

Aside from its GeoStrategic position it has the following desirable qualities:

A large Island with a comparatively tiny population of 20 million (of which a hefty slice are already ethnic Chinese)

Very substantial Mineral Assets

Only a very tiny indigenous population already historically dwarfed and dominated by non Chinese Immigrants.

A very new country only a couple of centuries old most of which spent as a colony.


This means that control of Australia can be achieved entirly without the use of force, but simply through

a) Raw Demographics - China can simply encourage widescale immigration and swamp the existing European populations.

b] Economic Domination - Australia produces the very things that China wants and wants in large quantities. This makes China not only the largest single market but also the closest major market for Australian Commodities.

c) Elite/Opinon making domination - Australia attracts many professional and highly skilled Chinese, who are now making their presence felt in the Boardrooms and in Public Office.

Indeed if you look at all three of the above factors you will see much already at work (and considerable alarm from the old "Settler" families) Chinese Australians are already the fastest growing ethnic groups in the country from both Internla Growth and Net Immigration.

China is already Australia's number one trading partner and has been very happy to welcome Chinese Corporate Investments during the Credit Crunch (especially Chinalco etc).

The need to deal with China for business has opened considerable opportunities for Australian Chinese who find their language, cultural skills and family connections much in demand in both Business and Government. A strong Pro China theme has been prevalent in Australian politics for many years, was nurtured by John Howard and has blossomed under Mandarin Speaking, former Diplomat to Beijing, Kevin Rudd.

So, what do you guys think?

[wdl76]

Sampanviking, on Apr 8 2009, 08:50 AM, said:

a) Raw Demographics - China can simply encourage widescale immigration and swamp the existing European populations.

b] Economic Domination - Australia produces the very things that China wants and wants in large quantities. This makes China not only the largest single market but also the closest major market for Australian Commodities.

c) Elite/Opinon making domination - Australia attracts many professional and highly skilled Chinese, who are now making their presence felt in the Boardrooms and in Public Office.

Indeed if you look at all three of the above factors you will see much already at work (and considerable alarm from the old "Settler" families) Chinese Australians are already the fastest growing ethnic groups in the country from both Internla Growth and Net Immigration.

China is already Australia's number one trading partner and has been very happy to welcome Chinese Corporate Investments during the Credit Crunch (especially Chinalco etc).

The need to deal with China for business has opened considerable opportunities for Australian Chinese who find their language, cultural skills and family connections much in demand in both Business and Government. A strong Pro China theme has been prevalent in Australian politics for many years, was nurtured by John Howard and has blossomed under Mandarin Speaking, former Diplomat to Beijing, Kevin Rudd.

So, what do you guys think?

a) This is done already without the Chinese government encouragement.
Unfortunately the Australian Immigration have a certain allocation for each country for Immigration purposes.
Being done at the moment, unfortunately there are some resistance from both the government and population of selling current assets overseas (esp to China)
Simply said they prefer selling their assets west than east. But money talks so we'll see
c)There is still a heavy presence of glass ceiling effect and SinoPhobia present. The economic and politic are still mainly dominated by people of Anglo Saxon background.
But there are progress but it will not happen for at least another generation. Any Asian who suceeded in penetrating this effect are 99% Australian Born Chinese. I think there are cultural conflict in effect as well.

[Bill]

I agree with wdl76, Australia (and the world in general) is quite sinophobic. Especially with the current rise in power. I think Australia will be fighting tooth and nail over any type of takeover be that economic, cultural or demographic. The only reason why Australia do business with China at all is because they have to, for their own economic purposes.

[sd502]

I'd say that there are quite a few countries in the world that practically could be easily incorporated into their more powerful neighbors, but as there are reasons to want to become/stay independent besides purely economic, cultural, or demographic reasons, I don't see it happening without a fight.

Creating a new culture for a country via demographic change (i.e. immigratio) is another issue altogether, though to be honest I have a hard time seeing it as a tactic - just reminds me of the yellow peril era in the United States, where motives of those emigrating to the US were judged suspect, and they were never seen as "real" Americans, rather with loyalties to the countries where they came from, although this wasn't necessarily the case.

As such, even if Australia's ethnic Chinese population increases significantly in the future, that doesn't mean that it will be "loyal" to China just because that was the emigration country of origin.

[wdl76]

sd502, on Apr 23 2009, 10:41 AM, said:

I'd say that there are quite a few countries in the world that practically could be easily incorporated into their more powerful neighbors, but as there are reasons to want to become/stay independent besides purely economic, cultural, or demographic reasons, I don't see it happening without a fight.

Creating a new culture for a country via demographic change (i.e. immigratio) is another issue altogether, though to be honest I have a hard time seeing it as a tactic - just reminds me of the yellow peril era in the United States, where motives of those emigrating to the US were judged suspect, and they were never seen as "real" Americans, rather with loyalties to the countries where they came from, although this wasn't necessarily the case.

As such, even if Australia's ethnic Chinese population increases significantly in the future, that doesn't mean that it will be "loyal" to China just because that was the emigration country of origin.

You would be surprised on the attitude the "new" Chinese Immigrant in Australia
The time has changed and this is not the 80s where the immigrants are actually people trying to escape economical harshness with the guise of persecution.

The immigrants nowadays are from the better off, better educated people. Being smarter they are not easily fooled by disinformation.

I am not sure where you are living at Sd502 but isn't the same trends going on in your country?

Finally just want to report that lately the Anti-China sentiment is on the rise in Australia, the media is criticising China on an almost daily basis. From the government system, China foreign investments to the anniversary celebration.

The government department seemed to share this sentiment as well, Chinese purchase of Australian assets has been blocked for various reasons.

There has also been rumours that China will decrease and discourage Chinese from studying in Australia.