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China Matters and Intentional Living
The past several days have included a few noteworthy China-related events that I have been involved in. The first was a mini-conference and trade delegation from Anhui Province (you know, just sixty million people). The second was a radio interview with 3CR in my role as state president of the Australia-China Friendship Society. The third was attending the launch of (Australia's former ambassador to China) Geoff Raby's latest book "Great Game On: The contest for Central Asia and Global Supremacy" and finally, as an upcoming event, the Annual General Meeting this Thursday of the Australia-China Friendship Society, where I am re-nominating as president.
The Anhui conference at Pullman Melbourne On The Park in East Melbourne was attended by roughly 120 people and included various business representatives from the province and Victoria, with a notable presence from various vehicle manufacturers located in Anhui and the Australia China Business Council. I ended up meeting with several representatives from their Department of Culture and Tourism and, knowing just a little about the culture of the area, suggested a dual tour of the Anhui Opera (Hui Opera predates even the Peking Opera) with the Victorian State Opera. That apparently has set tongues a-wagging among both groups (it helps to have contacts), so don't be surprised if I unexpectedly end up adding "International Opera Tour Organiser" in the next year or so.
On Saturday morning, I had a lengthy interview meeting with Jesse Boyd from 3CR, who hosts the Wednesday morning breakfast show which, unsurprisingly, will be broadcast this Wednesday. Without giving too much away, items of discussion included the ACFS, travel to China, their economic successes, especially in poverty alleviation, and the often utterly wrong portrayal and predictions of the country by our capitalist media who, unsurprisingly, don't want anyone to think that their political economy could be a better model in some cases.
Dovetailing quite nicely into this was Geoff Raby's book launch tonight and panel discussion with several academics, hosted by the University of Melbourne and Asialink. With approximately 150 people in attendance, Raby presented a case that Russia and China both had competing strategic interests and a competing history over the central Asia republics ("the 'stans", as they are sometimes called), even if they cooperated in other areas. A political realist and far more knowledgeable than most of our politicians on China matters, Raby presented a very compelling argument. The panel discussion was quite rigorous, with much debate around where Russia and China's relationship sat on the continuum of a "marriage of convenience" and a "marriage of values", a discussion spurred by UNSW Professor Mimi Zou's deft initiation and use of the metaphor.
All of this inevitably leads to some personal reflection. I know that I am in some danger of becoming a bit of a Sinologist despite what I consider a rather modest knowledge of the subject (even my knowledge of the standard Chinese language is only CEFR A2 level on a good day). Of course, there are certain enticements of being present with notable political, cultural, business and academic figures at such events, but after many years of being on the fringes of such things and with a discerning clarity of purpose, I feel rather inoculated from titles and the importance of others. My focus is based on pragmatic realism ("shí shì qiú shì", "seek truth from facts"), that this century is China's century, and no other country on the planet has the capability or interest to provide solutions to the problems of climate change and poverty eradication. Whilst certainly not as hedonistic as other lifestyles, this is living with meaning and intent.
The Anhui conference at Pullman Melbourne On The Park in East Melbourne was attended by roughly 120 people and included various business representatives from the province and Victoria, with a notable presence from various vehicle manufacturers located in Anhui and the Australia China Business Council. I ended up meeting with several representatives from their Department of Culture and Tourism and, knowing just a little about the culture of the area, suggested a dual tour of the Anhui Opera (Hui Opera predates even the Peking Opera) with the Victorian State Opera. That apparently has set tongues a-wagging among both groups (it helps to have contacts), so don't be surprised if I unexpectedly end up adding "International Opera Tour Organiser" in the next year or so.
On Saturday morning, I had a lengthy interview meeting with Jesse Boyd from 3CR, who hosts the Wednesday morning breakfast show which, unsurprisingly, will be broadcast this Wednesday. Without giving too much away, items of discussion included the ACFS, travel to China, their economic successes, especially in poverty alleviation, and the often utterly wrong portrayal and predictions of the country by our capitalist media who, unsurprisingly, don't want anyone to think that their political economy could be a better model in some cases.
Dovetailing quite nicely into this was Geoff Raby's book launch tonight and panel discussion with several academics, hosted by the University of Melbourne and Asialink. With approximately 150 people in attendance, Raby presented a case that Russia and China both had competing strategic interests and a competing history over the central Asia republics ("the 'stans", as they are sometimes called), even if they cooperated in other areas. A political realist and far more knowledgeable than most of our politicians on China matters, Raby presented a very compelling argument. The panel discussion was quite rigorous, with much debate around where Russia and China's relationship sat on the continuum of a "marriage of convenience" and a "marriage of values", a discussion spurred by UNSW Professor Mimi Zou's deft initiation and use of the metaphor.
All of this inevitably leads to some personal reflection. I know that I am in some danger of becoming a bit of a Sinologist despite what I consider a rather modest knowledge of the subject (even my knowledge of the standard Chinese language is only CEFR A2 level on a good day). Of course, there are certain enticements of being present with notable political, cultural, business and academic figures at such events, but after many years of being on the fringes of such things and with a discerning clarity of purpose, I feel rather inoculated from titles and the importance of others. My focus is based on pragmatic realism ("shí shì qiú shì", "seek truth from facts"), that this century is China's century, and no other country on the planet has the capability or interest to provide solutions to the problems of climate change and poverty eradication. Whilst certainly not as hedonistic as other lifestyles, this is living with meaning and intent.