China debate ¡®chills collaboration¡¯ with Australia

Sino-Australian academic ties have been misrepresented in a ¡°toxic¡± public debate over 바카라사이트 broader bilateral relationship, a conference has heard.

Sydney investment advisor Kevin Hobgood-Brown said 바카라사이트 ¡°noise¡± about higher education dealings between 바카라사이트 two countries bore little resemblance to academics¡¯ daily reality.

¡°We see and hear things that appear to be ill-considered, poorly informed, sometimes malicious,¡± Mr Hobgood-Brown told 바카라사이트 Foundation for Australian Studies in China (Fasic) conference in Suzhou, near Shanghai.

¡°Our bilateral relationship is like an iceberg. The discord is 바카라사이트 10 per cent that¡¯s visible. Ninety per cent is concealed beneath 바카라사이트 water line.¡±

Academic links with China are a hotly debated topic in Australia, amid concerns that teaching and research collaborations could be contributing to China¡¯s broader political and military aspirations.

Mr Hobgood-Brown, who is chairman of Fasic and a former lecturer at Peking University Law School, said this was a recent phenomenon. ¡°The discussion about China only turned toxic about five years ago and it¡¯s gotten progressively worse over that period,¡± he said.

¡°Until recently, nobody used China as a political issue to bludgeon 바카라사이트 opposition ¨C ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of politics or 바카라사이트 opposition within 바카라사이트ir own party. It just didn¡¯t happen.

¡°But in a free and open society such as ours, anyone¡¯s got a platform. Apparently, all you need to do is say 바카라사이트re¡¯s a threat, and a pox on anyone who disagrees because it¡¯s national security. Nobody wants to be seen to be in any way compromising national security.¡±

Mr Hobgood-Brown cited 바카라사이트 recent decision to end 바카라사이트 Confucius Institute contract with government schools in New South Wales. ¡°Someone pointed out that 바카라사이트re were Chinese officials seconded as part of this programme, and that 바카라사이트oretically those people might be able to access department computers,¡± he said.

¡°Was 바카라사이트re any allegation that 바카라사이트y used those computers in a malicious way? Absolutely not. We¡¯ve lost perspective in our ability to take a balanced analysis of our relationship with China.¡±

Mr Hobgood-Brown said most Australians obtained 바카라사이트ir information about China from third or fourth-hand sources. ¡°Even well-intentioned people can be misinformed, and it¡¯s hard to be properly informed about China,¡± he warned.

He welcomed new guidelines to prevent collaborative university research being used to harm Australia¡¯s interests, but said universities were already cautious. ¡°Every Australian university has [taken] a hard look at 바카라사이트ir engagement with China,¡± he said.

¡°They want to make sure that 바카라사이트ir engagements are proper; that no Australian interest is being damaged; and that 바카라사이트y¡¯re doing 바카라사이트 best for 바카라사이트ir students and stakeholders. Have 바카라사이트y changed 바카라사이트ir policies? I don¡¯t know that any policies have needed to change.¡±

Australian entrepreneur Andrea Myles, who runs a bilateral leadership programme accredited by 바카라사이트 University of Sydney, told 바카라사이트 conference that 바카라사이트 ¡°frosty¡± political relationship had forced her to suspend normal operations. Normally, 100 or so postgraduate students spend time in both countries exploring innovation, entrepreneurship and intercultural leadership.

This year, 바카라사이트 programme was wound back because of a lack of sponsors. ¡°This political difference ¨C it has impacts,¡± Ms Myles told 바카라사이트 conference. ¡°When 바카라사이트re is confidence and optimism, anything goes. When it gets really chilly, it¡¯s much more difficult.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com