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Andrew Clark

A hard history lesson in real time

Andrew ClarkSenior writer

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This Saturday, August 15, is VJ Day – the anniversary of the Allies’ victory in the Pacific War. It also marks America’s post-war ascendancy and the transformation of Australia from a dominion of the British Empire to a fully independent nation in the south-west Pacific.

Exactly 75 years later, the issue is whether Australia is up to making an even greater change – that is, adapt to a pandemic-afflicted region where power has shifted to China. The signals are mixed.

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Andrew Clark is a former editor of The Sun-Herald and Australian Business. He was a correspondent in Europe and North America, a political correspondent in Canberra and has been a journalist for more than 55 years. Email Andrew at aclark@afr.com.au

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    Original URL: https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/a-hard-history-lesson-in-real-time-20200813-p55ljh