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James Curran

Why has a long-term understanding with Asia eluded us?

Even as Australia has become more multicultural, the best we can manage is a sort of pragmatism punctuated with fits of enthusiasm.

James CurranInternational affairs expert

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Australia appears to be accepting that a transactional relationship with Asia will do. And some appear to be entirely relaxed and comfortable about it. But during a speech in Canberra late last month Foreign Minister Penny Wong raised the alarm.

She pointed out that the number of Mandarin-speaking Australians of non-Chinese origin total in the low hundreds.

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James Curran is professor of modern history at Sydney University.

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    Original URL: https://www.afr.com/policy/foreign-affairs/why-has-a-long-term-understanding-with-asia-eluded-us-20240902-p5k73d