China's problem is it's system. It is not representative. It is authoritarion and oppressive.
It spends more on internal security than on Defence.
It is developing face-recognition surveillance in every public space, for life, accompanied by a 'social score' for each person, for life, determining when, where and if a citizen might travel, study or work, prosper or fail, or ultimately need further attention, to be re-educated.
They are refining and perfecting this system in the process of concentrating Uigher citizens in camps.
It might be instructive to close your eyes for a moment and imagine if Donald Trump were Chairman of the CCP.
Never to be removed, never to be opposed, never to be criticised again, ever, anywhere.
That is the position Xi is in, for the rest of his life.
On the positive side of the current stoush, Australia will take further steps in maturing as an independent Nation as we recognise the time has come to run our own race.
That involves risks and choices, but also developing greater resolve and clearer resolution of our policy stances.
Maybe even boxing 'at our weight', since, if you examine the metaphor more closely, people who 'box above their weight' usually get their head punched in, absent the goodwill or indulgence of those in the higher weight class.
Part of Australia growing-up is to recognise the assumption of goodwill, or indulgence of 'plucky little Aussies', has limits. China is currently giving us a thorough demonstration of that.
We would like to continue trading with China, as we do with other undemocratic places, like Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Egypt, etc.
We will be forced to become more mature and sophisticated in the years, or decades, it takes to find a way of dealing with China without unnecessarily antagonising her, or compromising our values.
The propensity of Communist countries has been to turn on a dime, if we admit to the error of our ways, or if she can domestically represent that as the situation.
That isn't going to happen this time, it's not really a misunderstanding.
It was rash, immature, short-sighted, insensitive, even stupid of Morrison to take point on an investigation of the source of the novel coronavirus in China. Boxing above our weight again....'guys, guys, a little help here!...'.
On the other hand, excluding Huawei from our 5G networks, anti-foreign interference laws, FIRB decisions that fell against China were perfectly within our right, laws and responsibilities.
How does China deal with foreigners trying to buy a house or farm in China, or a Chinese company domiciled there? It refuses, point blank. 'Not for sale to foreigners'.
So, off we go on the adventure of finally growing-up and finding our place in the world. We need to avoid ending up like one of those child-stars, loving the attention, then coming to a bad end, unable to grow-up into a stable, effective adult.
We've been both protected and used by the UK and then the USA in our formative years, and it shows. Now comes some harder yards.
We can do it, but it will take a while.
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