Indonesia - our Neighbour

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/indonesia-relations-in-a-mess/story-e6frg76f-1226417216721

This link is to an opinion piece in the national newspaper today.  It is a fairly salient examination of the current debacle that the current Australian government has made over relations with our neighbour.  Quite a few near term examples of which the cessation of live cattle trade is but one - although a very major one [What a stuff up by Australia].

Can they fix it up?  It might not matter, if they are not there after the next Australian election, as is widely tipped.  BUT.....the mess still will be.  And I would agree, it will take some fixing.

When you live in north Australia Indonesia is very near, and of much greater relevance.  Unfortunately the latte swilling set of the SE corner of Australia do not understand that.......at all.  Self centredness rules - speak English, beggar your neighbour, have no understanding of the rest of the world - sounds increasingly like the mid-west of the USA - pleasant, but disinterested in anything other than football.

We ignore Indonesia at Australia's peril - a rapidly growing middle class, vibrant manufacturing, excellent GDP growth, yet not without problems and very close by.

Does Australia Understand China ? Or Care?

Australia and China seem to be moving towards further intertwining.  Yet do we know China or its people or even more important its leaders or emerging leaders?

Recent announcements by government to promote Australian students studying at Asian institutions is a very important step forward.  Asians come here, and we should have some students study in Asia.  There are some first class universities across many disciplines, so it makes sense.

But a recent Lowy Institute paper also makes a more compelling case for some further interaction to deepen our understanding of Asia, and particularly China.  Language skills is one area where there are some real needs.  And today with the Indonesian President in Darwin is a timely teminder that Indonesian language skills are important to meet our next door neighbour on equal terms  too.  Indonesia seems to have fallen below the vision line.

Read the Lowy Institute article here:
http://www.lowyinstitute.org/publications/australia-china-ties-search-political-trust

Interestingly in this article there are no formal high level links in relation to agriculture.  Curious, with all the media attention around Chinese land purchases and their interest in Australian agriculture.  Sydney Uni Agriculture Faculty is soon to establish formal relations in China; maybe more should start that process too.

The Weather is STRANGE

Darwin is wet........that's normal in February and March, although much of February was dry with a big wet flurry at the end.

But Singapore is VERY dry, recording one of the driest February's on record with only about 8mm for the month and the dry weather has also substantially reduced much of the rice crop in Thailand [ a large exporter of rice] and parts of adjoining countries.

That may cause some problems in rice supply in Asia shortly.

For now, the food is good, spicy and just great.

America - from a South East Asian Perspective

Americans think they are loved world wide. This could not be further from the truth. While many might admire the USA and aspire to be in America, many also do not admire or condone things American.

A reasonably recent article - roughly November 2008- lays out a fairly clear agenda of the view from south East Asia.

It is worth a read.
http://www.spp.nus.edu.sg/ips/docs/pub/pa_tk_United%20States%20and%20Southeast%20Asia_2008.pdf