The Australian government has dropped protections for language programs at a time when universities are announcing plans to end Asian languages courses. That’s a mistake in the Asian Century.
A large majority of Asian Australians who make up an increasing proportion of the population, especially in big cities like Sydney, have experienced racism.
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Asian Australians experience high levels of racism. Almost six in ten Asia-born Australians report having had experiences of discrimination when trying to rent or buy housing.
More than 25% of Hurstville residents were born in China, but the Sydney suburb is the exception to the rule.
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This is the first article in our series, Australian Cities in the Asian Century, which looks at the impact of the rise of China and Chinese migration on our cities.
Australian exporters, we salute you.
Tracey Nearmy/AAP
Not every Asian runner has delivered a stellar year for Australian exporters.
Australia’s traditional reliance on multilateralism and alliances won’t be enough to negotiate the geopolitical rivalries of the Asian century.
EPA/Barbara Walton
For the past two centuries, Australia got many of the big calls on global engagement right. In our third century, there are worrying signs that we have not fully grasped what the rise of Asia means.
Australia has been more comfortable in the ‘slipstream of power’, rather than leading, says Peter Varghese.
Lukas Coch/AAP
DFAT secretary Peter Varghese sat down with Michelle Grattan to talk about aid, the integration of AUSAID, Islamic State, the Asian century and much, much more.
Smart engagement with Asia means recognising the many ways in which Asian migrants to Australia are opening new pathways for discovery, innovation and cultural understanding.
EPA/Ole Spata
Skilled migrants from India, China and other neighbouring countries are building pathways for innovation, growth and better understanding between Australia and their homelands.
Rebalancing towards Asia…with values.
Dan Peled/AAP
US President Barack Obama took to the stage at the University of Queensland in Brisbane on a day which had the soles of your shoes melting. We had been through a complicated but reasonable security process…
Before the Asian Century, it was Gough Whitlam that gave Australians the confidence to enhance their place in the world.
Alan Porritt/AAP
“Where were you when Gough was sacked?” This of course refers to Remembrance Day, 11 November, 1975, when the elected prime minister Gough Whitlam was sacked by Governor-General Sir John Kerr in cahoots…
In the same week Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott is to visit India, Indian PM Modi has visited Japan.
Toru Hanai/EPA/AAP
Despite recent slumps in economic growth (now at just over 5.4% compared to 10.3% in 2010), former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this year handed the new Prime Minister Narendra Modi a much more…
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop hopes the New Colombo Plan can bring Australians closer to Asia.
AAP
The government has high hopes that the New Colombo Plan will lead to a more Asia-literate society and people-to-people links will improve our relations with Asian nations in the program. But for this to…
South Korea has surpassed Australia on many economic measures.
KOREA.NET/Flickr
Australia and South Korea are entering a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), but before you think “advanced Western country gains access to a large Asian market”, think again. Economic powers have shifted seismically…
We should attempt to get cultural diversity right in our own backyard.
Alam Singh
We are fortunate to have bipartisan political support for enhancing trade and cultural links with our region in the so-called Asian Century. But do we have similar consensus when dealing with those from…
Tony Abbott’s focus on Asia early in his term in office signifies that the so-called ‘Asian century’ - and Australia’s role in it - is far from over.
EPA/Mast Irham
It is barely a decade old, but some pundits are already declaring the end of the “Asian century”. The Abbott government appeared ready to bury it after the recent archiving of the Gillard government’s…
Australian companies have done little to expand overseas, preferring the lucrative home market.
AAP/Damian Shaw
Australia’s major banking, retail and manufacturing brands are often regarded as less interested in the aggressive overseas expansion being pursued by market leaders in other countries. Some have tried…
Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei is in the spotlight again.
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In a move that has drawn criticism from Chinese authorities, the Abbott government is upholding a ban on Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from tendering for the National Broadband Network, after…
ANZ chief Mike Smith was recruited to help ANZ succeed in Asia.
Julian Smith/AAP
ANZ Bank has delivered another record profit, promising shareholders a bigger dividend than expected on the back of cash earnings of A$6.49 billion. But despite the bank’s continued Australian and international…
Going, going: the Abbott government appears to have ditched the centrepiece of the Gillard government’s foreign policy, the Australia in the Asian Century white paper.
AAP/Paul Miller
In case you missed the news, the “Asian century” is over. Or it is as far as the Abbott government is concerned. In its continuing revamp of the apparatus and output of government, the Coalition has officially…
Much has changed from the first Colombo plan, but Australia’s engagement with Asia should start at home.
Asia image from www.shutterstock.com
Now it’s in government, the Coalition says one of its top priorities is international education. Along with policies to encourage international students to study here, Australian students, too, will be…
Both the Labor and Liberals see infrastructure as a crucial economic driver; but Chinese investment in this area has been politicised.
AAP
Tony Abbott wants to be known as the infrastructure prime minister. He could be remembered for building roads and scrapping high-speed rail. But the role of Chinese finance and technical expertise in infrastructure…