The Role of Australia in the Asian Region - Essay Example

of the of the Concerned 28 May Role of Australia in the Asian Region Introduction To understand and appreciate the role of Australia in Asia, it is utterly imperative to analyze Australia in an international context. Just a decade ago, Australia was considered by most of the nations to be a middle power. Just before the end of the II World War, Australia had a population of seven million people and was predominantly referred to as a small country. However, such a description no more does justice to the international stature of Australia in a current context. It is true that in the early 40s, Australia was indeed a small country that exercised a marginal role in the world affairs. However, today Australia has a burgeoning population of 20 million people and happens to be the 13th largest economy in the world (The World Factbook 2011: Online)). The relative size and proportion of the Australian economy is much bigger than any Asian country, except Japan, South Korea and China. It would not be wrong to say that the modern Australia is a big country with immense resources at its disposal. In a globalized world, it is not only in Australia’s interest to build relations with Asia, but Asian economies also stand to gain by entering into economic, cultural and strategic ties with Australia (Tweedie 1994). The modern Australia is indeed forging strong people to people relations with Asia so as to secure its overseas business interests and markets. It goes without saying that Australia also has a strong strategic role in the Asia-Pacific geopolitics. In 1997, when many of the Asian economies were facing a crisis, Australia demonstrated its economic clout and resilience by being the one of only two countries that made contributions to the rescue packages envisaged by IMF (The World Factbook 2011: Online). So, the role of Australia in Asia needs to be analyzed and evaluated in a much broader and complex context. Asia-Australia Ties – Historical Context In a historical perspective, Australia’s relationship with Asia had been influenced by varied recurring themes and influences (Carter 2006). As Australia owed its origins to the British Empire, the nation always grappled with a sense of isolation and vulnerability, considering its distance from Britain (Clarke 2002). In that context, Australians considered Asia to be a strange land inhabited by strange people, whose culture and values were quiet different from theirs (Clarke 2002). To some extent, Australians even regarded the Asian nations to be possibly hostile (Carter 2006). It was such a mindset that shaped Australia’s early relations with Asia. No wonder, even the current foreign policies of Australia towards Asia do often reveal the recurring remnants and vestiges of such views and fears. The other factor was that Australia in its nascent years, lacked any visible desire for autonomy and its foreign policy was particularly influenced by more domineering nations like the USA and Great Britain (Firth 2005). Though as early as in 1901, Australia was a nominally independent nation, it took little initiative to forge independent diplomatic relations with Asian nations (Firth 2005). It delegated much of this responsibility to Britain, who mostly mediated Australia’s relations with Asian nations (Firth 2005). It was only during the II World War, when Britain had to move back from Southeast Asia, going by the formidable Japanese threat that made Australia shed some of its colonial mentality in the sphere of foreign relations (Firth 2005). However, much before the World War II, the fast shifting economic and strategic realities were nudging Austria to alter its Asia policy (Carter 2006). The Japan’s growing clout as a military power in the post war era was sufficient to convince Australia that Britain was no longer the most dominant power in East Asia (Tweedie 1994). Not only had this, by late 30s’, Japan evolved into Australia’s second biggest trade partner (Tweedie 1994). This development was also sufficient to convince Australia that it had big economic stakes in the Asian landmass and economies. So, since those times, Australia’s relationship with Asia had been defined by two important aspects. First, were its economic interests in Asia and second was its belief that the strong Asian nations like Japan were an imminent source of threat to its security and sovereignty. The Asian foreign policy makers in different eras tried to balance between these two apparently conflicting trends and possibilities. In the worst of times, these two strategic and economic paradoxes gave way to evils like the ‘White Australia’ policy (Leach 2004). Sadly this policy remained to be the most defining influence in the Australian foreign policy during much of the 20th century (Leach 2004). The ‘White Australia’ policy with its stress on strategic dominance and racial and cultural superiority certainly accumulated a horrible and shameful legacy for the future foreign policy designers, who intended to have much closer ties with Asia (Leach 2004). The primary factors that contributed to the dilution of this policy was a growing realization on the part of Australia that much of its business and commerce was concentrated in Asia and it were the Asian nations that were its major trading partners and the prominent customers for its exports (Leach 2004). It would not be wrong to say that despite the shift in Australia’s orientation towards Asia, which happened to be more a matter of self interest, the impact of ‘White Australia’ policy on the Australian foreign policy was somewhat deep seated and lasting (Leach 2004). During the Cold War era, Australia’s relations with Asia were to a great extent determined and shaped by the strategic obligations and responsibilities it had to deal with (Firth 2005). Australia’s relations and approach towards Asia was marred by a Cold War mindset, amply demonstrated in its reluctance to recognize the communist China and its commitment to constrain and control the rising influence of China (Firth 2005). It was only in the early 70s that Australia started embracing Asia in a more realistic and pragmatic context (Firth 2005). Luckily this approach continued till the early 90s which saw the emergence of varied regional forums and platforms like Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), with Australia playing an important role in them (Firth 2005). Though some of these regional institutions may have failed in achieving the envisaged goals and objectives, the one important purpose that they served was that they formally consolidated the role and position of Australia in the region’s economic and cultural institutional framework. Asia’s Economic Relevance to Australia No doubt, Asia is strategically and economically very important to Australia. Asia is the home to the worlds’ 2nd largest economy that is Japan. Japan accounts for approximately 7 percent of the global GDP (Lloyd 2002). Also two of the world’s fastest growing markets that are China and India are located in Asia. Nearly one third of the world’s total output originates from Asia and East Asia is the primary contributor in this output (Lloyd 2002). Asia also harbors more than fifty five percent of the world population (Lloyd 2002). Not to mentions that East Asia is Australia’s major trading partner. Nearly 60 percent of the Australian exports in terms of goods and services find their way to East Asia (Lloyd 2002). A majority of the Australian imports also originate from East Asia (Lloyd 2002). East Asia also happens to be Australia’s major investment hub and destination. There is no denying the fact that Australia’s investment relations with the US and Europe is much larger in proportion and magnitude. However, with the ongoing growth of the Asian economies and the coming in of the desired political and economic stability, Australia’s financial role in Asia in general and in East Asia in particular is going to grow by leaps and bounds in the times to come (Lloyd 2002). These trends portend an augmenting Australian investment in the region, and growing investments by the Asian companies in the Australian economy. Australia’s growing economic and financial interaction with Asia is fast changing the Australian notions as to individual identity and culture. Nearly 1.3 million Australians today claim themselves to be of Asian origin and Australia is fast moving in the direction of embracing a multicultural identity and cultural diversity (The World Factbook 2011: Online). The economic crisis of 1997 saw the emergence of two nations that are China and Australia as the only survivors, unraveling the structural weaknesses in the economies of affected Asian nations (Lloyd 2002). It was at this time that Australia realized the extent of its economic stakes in Asia and the importance of a peaceful and economically stable Asia for the Australian economic prosperity and sustenance. Australia identified the moment as an ideal opportunity to enhance its engagements with the Asian economies and responded by allocating very generous financial aids to the impacted economies like Korea, Indonesia and Korea. Australia’s Growing Strategic Relevance and Role in Asia As the axis of power has gradually shifted from West to East and China has emerged as an intimidating and awesome military power in Asia, the role and importance of Australia as a strategic partner for the USA and the Asian powers like India and Japan has multiplied manifold (Yahuda 1996). Australia has an important strategic role to play in assuring regional stability and peace. The relative stagnation and dilution of the US naval power in Asia and the emerging strategic power of China, Australia commands a crucial place in the US strategic designs in Asia (Yahuda 1996). In case things ever grow out of hand and China resorts to any military adventurism, Australia has the strategic depth and a commensurate military, air and naval power to assure the dominance of the friendly nations in at least the East Indian Ocean and the South China Sea (Yahuda 1996). Australia is already partnering with Japan and the US in developing the futuristic, state of the art weaponry and missiles (Yahuda 1996). In a conflict scenario, soliciting the Australian partnership will be a must to wrest strategic air superiority and to engage in successful submarine warfare. So in a strategic context, Australia today stands at the heart of Asia Pacific, rather than being a loner of the yore. It goes without saying that economic and structural stability in East Asia is to a great deal dependant on the political and regional stability. Australia is also aware of the fact that the political and military stability and peace in Asia is of pivotal importance to the Australian economy and sovereignty (Yahuda 1996). So, in the times to come, Australia sees itself playing a much bigger role in the region, considering its political clout, economic wherewithal and strategic location. Conclusion The nature and magnitude of the Australian political and economic engagement with Asia to a great extent had been a victim of an aversion for autonomy and a tendency to delegate foreign affairs to bigger powers. However, in the post war world, Australia is pursuing a proactive approach towards Asia. Today Australia has a much larger economic and strategic role to play in Asia, Not to mention, the intensity and vast domain of Australia’s engagements with Asia are gradually weakening the obstacles that held back Australia from identifying itself as a part of Asia. Reference List Carter, David 2006, Dispossession, Dreams and Diversity: Issues in Australian Studies, Pearson Education, Sydney. Clarke, Frank G 2002, The History of Australia, Greenwood, Westport, CT. Firth, Stewart 2005, Australia in International Politics: An Introduction to Australian Foreign Policy, Allen & Unwin, Crow’s Nest, N.S.W. Leach, Michael 2004, ‘Legacies of White Australia: Race, Culture, Nation’, The Australian Journal of Politics and History, Vol. 50, no. 3, pp. 443-446. Lloyd, PJ 2002, ‘Close Economic Relations with East Asia’, Economic Record, Vol. 77, no. 238, pp. 228-240. The World Factbook 2011, Australia, CIA, viewed 28 May 2011, . Tweedie, Sandra 1994, Trading Partners: Australia and Asia 1790-1993, University of New South Wales Press, Sydney. Yahuda, Michael 1996, The International Politics of the Asia Pacific, 1945-1995, Routledge, London. Read More