On July 13, 2018, 16 experts and scholars from Peking University, Australian National University, famous think tanks of China and the United States, and embassies of China, the United States, Australia and New Zealand attended the Roundtable between Peking University and Australian National University on China-Australia Bilateral Relations: Review·Focus·Prospect held at the School of International Studies, Peking University. The roundtable, hosted by the Institute for China-US People-to-People Exchange, Peking University (Base of the Ministry of Education), is an important exchange meeting for scholars and statesmen of China and Australia to discuss the development process of China-Australia relations.
At the beginning of the roundtable, Professor Jia Qingguo, Dean of the School of International Studies, Peking University, and Executive Director of the Institute for China-US People-to-People Exchange, Peking University, presided over the roundtable and delivered a speech. He pointed out that China-Australia relations are in a sensitive and turbulent period, and analyzing the reasons for the changes in China-Australia relations is an important prerequisite for understanding the changes of political forces in the Asia-Pacific region and its influence.
The keynote speaker of this roundtable is Gareth Evans, President of the Australian National University. First of all, Gareth Evans explains the reasons for the turbulence in China-Australia relations from the positions of China and Australia respectively. From the standpoint of the Chinese side, first, Australia rarely uses the word “stand up” in foreign affairs and uses means such as “loudspeaker diplomacy” to regard China as a competitor; second, Australia makes use of media activities to claim that China exerts diplomatic influence on it; third, Australia questions the legality of China’s diplomatic intervention on a number of international issues; fourth, there are differences between China and Australia on the South China Sea issue, and Australia does not recognize China’s claim about the “nine-dash line”; fifth, China is wary of Australia’s request to restart the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue; sixth, Australia has no intention of participating in the Belt and Road Initiative and proposing new infrastructure projects to counterbalance China; seventh, China believes that Australia has overreacted to China’s outbound investment; eighth, China believes that Australia is more inclined to join the US camp. From the standpoint of the Australian side, first, the Australia believes that China is gradually exerting pressure and interference in the Australian political situation; second, in response to the situation in the South China Sea, China has deployed armaments in the region one after another; third, China interferes in Australia’s academic circle and university curriculum; fourth, China’s outbound investment threatens Australia’s territorial security; and fifth, Australia believes and is wary of China’s playing a stronger role in the South Pacific region. Based on this, Gareth Evans puts forward six ways for China-Australia relations to return to the right track from the perspective of the Australian government: first, to avoid the diplomatic behaviors of “loudspeaker diplomacy”; second, to recognize the status quo, that is, to recognize the rise of China’s power and changes in the pattern of international power; third, the government should clarify national interests and implement appropriate protection; fourth, to support the internationally shared values; fifth, to support and abide by the international order and system; sixth, the Australian government should formulate and deepen the agenda and scope of cooperation with China, and the government should strengthen cooperation with China on global issues such as climate issues.
Zha Daojiong, professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University, responded and commented on such issues as media comments and Chinese enterprises’ investment in Australia. He said, media activities are aggravating the misunderstanding between China and Australia. Australia misjudged the political intention of Chinese state-owned enterprises to invest abroad, which led to the predicament of China-Australia economic and trade cooperation. Ma Zhengang, Head of the China Committee of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) and Director of the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, concluded that China has no intention of threatening Australia’s national security, and that the key to improving China-Australia relations is that the Australian government can remain calm, return to normal, and put forward practical cooperation policies.
At the end of the exchanges, Jia Qingguo expressed the hope that China and Australia can fully understand the domestic political characteristics of the two countries and respect the international interests of the two countries. The two sides should clarify their positions in many international affairs, explore the basis for common cooperation between the two countries, reduce suspicion and miscalculation, and devote themselves to the improvement of relations between the two countries.
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