The following article was published in "The Guardian", newspaper
of the Communist Party of Australia in its issue of Wednesday,
May 29th, 2002. Contact address: 65 Campbell Street, Surry Hills.
Sydney. 2010 Australia. Phone: (612) 9212 6855 Fax: (612) 9281 5795.
CPA Central Committee: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
"The Guardian": <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Webpage: http://www.cpa.org.au>
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Editorial: Behind the handshakes and smiles
Prime Minister Howard's two-day visit to the People's Republic of China last
week may have assisted trade between the two countries. A "frame work
agreement" is to be worked out which over time should further consolidate
trade. China is already Australia's third largest trading partner, exceeded
only by the US and Japan.
The two countries are to resume their "security dialogue". The dialogue was
suspended two years ago following an official visit by a Howard Government
Minister to Taiwan. The visit had the effect of extending a measure of
formal recognition of Taiwan as an independent state.
The main purpose of Howard's visit was to give Prime Ministerial backing to
an Australian tender for a contract under which China would import
considerable quantities of natural gas over the next 25 years.
Companies from Indonesia and Qatar are also competing for the contract.
Howard's visit coincided with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between Australia and the People's Republic of China.
In 1972 the Whitlam Government extended recognition to the PRC, in the face
of strong opposition from the Liberal Party.
When diplomatic relations were established Australia recognised Hong Kong,
Macau, Tibet and Taiwan as Chinese territories. This recognition has been
reiterated on a number of occasions since then but there are good reasons to
believe that behind the handshakes, smiles and declarations the Australian
Government has other intentions.
Dancing to the tune of the war-makers of the US, the Australian Government
will, together with Japan, join any war against China should a conflict
break out over the issue of Taiwan. The US is attempting to encircle China
with military and naval bases and Australia's major new expenditure on
military preparations are principally directed against China. Howard's
declaration that the touted "security treaty" between the US, Japan and
Australia is not directed against China is only for simpletons. In such
circumstances, the declarations that Australia abides by the "one China"
policy is hypocritical and dishonest.
Lynne O'Donnell, the China correspondent of The Australian made that very
clear when she wrote at the time of Howard's visit that "Beijing regards
democratic Taiwan as sovereign territory". If the Australian Government
genuinely supported the "one China" principle, she would have added to that
sentence -- "as does the Australian Government".
Coinciding with Howard's visit to China, was the visit of the Dalai Lama to
Australia. His visit was given much more coverage in the Australian media
than Howard's trip, although the Dalai Lama is not a customer for natural
gas and does not offer any benefits by way of purchase of Australian export.
The Dalai Lama is the figurehead of Tibetan separatism, which is vigorously
promoted by some political circles in Australia, and secretly by the
Australian Government. Howard officially met the Dalai Lama on his previous
visit to Australia, using the fatuous excuse that he met him as a religious
leader.
It is also remarkable how some, who are strong supporters of Australian
Republicanism and are critics of Britain's feudal relic in the form of the
monarchy, are at the same time supporters of Tibet's feudal and theocratic
remnant surviving from a time when Tibet was a state based on slavery.
The declaration of East Timor's formation as an independent State also
coincided with Howard's visit to China. Quite apart from other issues is the
question of East Timor's right to the considerable oil and natural gas
resources in its territorial waters. While Howard claimed that the agreement
between Australia and East Timor on the exploitation of this wealth is
"generous", a news release from the ACTU points out that Australia is
refusing to accept the jurisdiction of the UN Convention of the Law of the
Sea, which provides a means by which disputes over seabed sovereignty can be
resolved.
"The Timor Gap contains potentially billions of dollars worth of oil and gas
which would be crucial to the future development and prosperity of the
fledgling East Timorese nation", says the ACTU statement.
Is this the natural gas that Howard is attempting to sell to China, thereby
thieving it from East Timor?
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