Australia and China

IN an interesting twist, the Australian government is taking a swipe at China for its massive aid to develop sovereign infrastructures of Pacific Islands states including Papua New Guinea.
Australia obviously feels that China is stepping the mark.
But for Senator Wells to say that China is financing “useless buildings and roads to nowhere” exposes the fact that Australian foreign policy is waking up from its long-inherited slumber.
In this day and age, no country or person can be intellectually discounted as being incapable of invading sovereign boundaries and inflicting collateral damage.
That is where Australian foreign policy has failed over the years, thinking that PNG and other Pacific Islands countries are still what they were 30 years ago.
No. Island states have changed in the past 20 years, thanks to international exposure, advanced communication technology and information access.
The present generation of educated Papua New Guineans does not consider Australia as a country that shares reciprocal respect and values.
That is why the present move to consolidate deeper economic, trade and political ties with China is receiving tremendous support.
It’s time Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull revisits his foreign policy and starts respecting PNG as a valuable neighbour.

Samson Wena
Kerowagi
Chimbu