In the wake of Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon's difficulties, much information has been aired about the pervasive nature of China's engagement with the Australian political scene. Rather than being a one-off, the unseemly show of nationalism that accompanied the Olympic torch relay in Canberra last year was revealed as part of an extensive lobbying and public relations exercise by the Chinese Embassy. Few stones are left unturned.
We have learned that many Australian politicians visit China as guests of the government. Statements critical of China are examined and challenged by Chinese envoys. A recent visit by the Chinese propaganda supremo, including a meeting with the PM, was kept secret until exposed by an inquisitive newspaper. Chinese state-owned business interests are waiting to pounce on devalued Australian resource assets.
Some of this should not surprise us. The State of Israel has long championed junkets for Australian politicians and still carefully scrutinises statements critical of the Jewish state. I recall these 'fact-finding tours' were often wryly known in Parliament House as the 'Mossad trip', a recognition that they were highly monitored propaganda exercises. Yet Israel is not China, an emerging global economic and social superpower.
Australians broadly welcomed our first PM fluent in a foreign language. That this language is Mandarin is even more astonishing, capturing the zeitgeist of an emerging China. However the Government must ensure that greater economic and political engagement with China does not result in abandoning human rights concerns, such as the imprisonment of political dissidents, the suppression of religious freedom, the continuation of forced labour camps and the continuing high use of the death penalty. In the rush to make everyone rich, these are matters which many Australians expect our Government to still keep pressing with our newly-found national best friend.