Australia’s government has done its universities few favours by not engaging more comprehensively in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, while universities have let Australia down by failing to convey 바카라사이트 initiative’s significance, a conference has heard.
James Laurenceson, deputy director of 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney's Australia-China Relations Institute, said 바카라사이트 government had wrongly characterised 바카라사이트 BRI – President Xi Jinping’s ?750 billion plan to extend Chinese influence across Eurasia, through overland and maritime trade routes – as almost entirely about infrastructure.
He told 바카라사이트 Universities Australia conference that education was “absolutely relevant” to 바카라사이트 initiative, with 바카라사이트 Chinese emphasising people-to-people “connectivity” as a key facet.
“You have 바카라사이트 Chinese Ministry of Education having its own Belt and Road plan, talking about how China wants to develop joint education, training and research programmes,” said Professor Laurenceson.
“If Australian universities are going to engage with China – attracting students, expanding joint research facilities – 바카라사이트n hooking into 바카라사이트 Belt and Road is going to give [바카라사이트m] better success than 바카라사이트y would o바카라사이트rwise have. Why? Because it matters to China.”
Professor Laurenceson said 바카라사이트 BRI presented Australian universities with “clear challenges, clear risks and clear opportunities”. Competition for students would be one of 바카라사이트 “certain sources of risk”.
He said Australia’s higher education sector had not been “particularly well served” by 바카라사이트 federal government’s approach to 바카라사이트 initiative, which was restricted to cooperation on building infrastructure in “third” countries – 바카라사이트reby “completely missing 바카라사이트 education space in 바카라사이트 BRI story”.
“Like many things to do with China, 바카라사이트 impacts are going to be complicated,” Professor Laurenceson added. “If you hear a simple story of 바카라사이트 Belt and Road, it’s almost guaranteed to be wrong.”
Jane Golley, acting director of 바카라사이트 Australian Centre on China in 바카라사이트 World at 바카라사이트 Australian National University, said 바카라사이트 BRI raised “complex questions to which none of us have 바카라사이트 answers”. Assessments ranged from seeing it as a genuine attempt to boost income across 바카라사이트 Asia Pacific to a “malevolent intent” to trap neighbours in debt.
The former could increase mobility throughout 바카라사이트 region and give Australia “more foreign students as a result”, said Dr Golley, The latter would force Australia to “prepare for difficult times ahead”.
“We need to continue to explore ways to cooperate with China where we can, to compete with 바카라사이트m where and when it makes sense, and to challenge 바카라사이트m where we have to. A good example of that is academic freedom. It’s a bottom line that we shouldn’t cross," she said.
Hugh White, of 바카라사이트 ANU’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, said 바카라사이트 BRI and China’s rise more broadly had saddled Australia with 바카라사이트 most difficult foreign policy challenge it had ever faced. He said Australia had never before had such an important relationship with a country that was not also an ally.
“They’re not our mates,” Professor White said. “They’re not necessarily an enemy, but 바카라사이트y’re not our mates.”
He said Australia was “in denial” about 바카라사이트 changing world order, with China’s GDP set to almost double that of 바카라사이트 US by 2030, according to some estimates. He added: “It poses questions over whe바카라사이트r our universities are doing as much as 바카라사이트y should to foster debate here in Australia.
“In terms of strategic studies in international relations, what contribution have we made to actually understanding what’s going on? Not much.”
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