Foreign Affairs: Timor-Leste and China
Sep. 28th, 2024 11:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tcpipOver the past several days I've had multiple opportunities to engage in some significant cross-cultural events. Last week there was two events for Timor-Leste, a country whose experiences have been long close to my heart and mind. The first was the opening of a gallery exhibition at Trinity College at the University of Melbourne, which I attended with Erica H., and the the latter, a follow-on event, a symposium of scholars and activists at the same location, with both being promoted under the same banner of "Tais, Culture, and Resilience", and organised by my good friends and political allies, Deb Salvagno and Clinton Fernandes. With hundreds of people attending both events, it was certainly heart-warming to know that there are still so many ordinary Australians who continue to engage in committed solidarity with this small, impoverished country that successive Australian governments have betrayed with alarming regularity. I have taken the opportunity to write up my thoughts on Timor-Leste, the events, and my own experiences on the Isocracy Network website.
This past week I've been at two events for National Day of the People's Republic of China. The first was a dinner of various community organisations in Victoria where, along with several others, I gave a brief speech in my role as President of the Australia-China Friendship Society. In a more flexible role, I could express how Australia's understanding of China is poor across many metrics (especially compared to the reverse), and how Chinese in Australia have often been subject to incredible levels of racism, and too often expressed in law. The second event, somewhat more formal in presentation, more informal in opportunities to do free networking, was at the Park Hyatt and organised by the Consulate-General in Melbourne which is a pretty nice location. Both, of course, had their range of speeches from various officials, community leaders, and politicians, along with some really impressive entertainers, of which I will make special mention of the dancing snow lions from the Chinese Masonic Society at the first event, and the operatic singer of the national anthems from the second. I will also take this opportunity to suggest that, as a recent visitor, now is perhaps the best opportunity in many years to visit China with flexible visa-free travel; don't miss this chance.
This past week I've been at two events for National Day of the People's Republic of China. The first was a dinner of various community organisations in Victoria where, along with several others, I gave a brief speech in my role as President of the Australia-China Friendship Society. In a more flexible role, I could express how Australia's understanding of China is poor across many metrics (especially compared to the reverse), and how Chinese in Australia have often been subject to incredible levels of racism, and too often expressed in law. The second event, somewhat more formal in presentation, more informal in opportunities to do free networking, was at the Park Hyatt and organised by the Consulate-General in Melbourne which is a pretty nice location. Both, of course, had their range of speeches from various officials, community leaders, and politicians, along with some really impressive entertainers, of which I will make special mention of the dancing snow lions from the Chinese Masonic Society at the first event, and the operatic singer of the national anthems from the second. I will also take this opportunity to suggest that, as a recent visitor, now is perhaps the best opportunity in many years to visit China with flexible visa-free travel; don't miss this chance.
