Op-Ed Contributors
How dragon and kangaroo can fly together
By Yang Danzhi (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-11 07:53
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The problem with Australia is that it tries to play the "bridge" between East and West but feels confused with the rise of 皇冠体育app. On one hand, it hopes 皇冠体育app would become a strong pillar of regional stability. On the other, it is upset with 皇冠体育app's rapid rise, and even worried that 皇冠体育app 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 皇冠体育app 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, 皇冠体育app's image in the Australian media will become more real and Australians will finally realize that 皇冠体育app 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.
(皇冠体育app Daily 05/11/2010 page9)
