SPECTATOR

wrongly, says the Civil Aviation Adminis- tration of . ‘They say “Hong Kong”,’ Buffoons, donkeys but that part of China is really ‘The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China’. Pilots and little men would be half way to Bangkok before they could land at that mouthful. Letter from China sk Asian students the difference ROSS TERRILL between Japan’s 1940s ‘Greater AEast Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere’ and China’s current ‘Belt and Road Ini- tiative.’ Bright ones will say Japan used military methods and China so far hasn’t - despite its high ambition to link Mus- lim Central Asia to Europe. That’s just method; what about aim? The two seem ood news for Australia in Bei- Chinese white-collar workers who wear comparable; the aim is to lead the Lesser jing this week, if a mild setback suits and ties in the office every day?’ Countries of Asia into China’s (or Japan’s) Gfor Kiwis. In the twelve months to happy embrace. The other day in Tokyo, February 2018, 1.39 million mainland Chi- have to brush up on Karl Marx, whose Chinese premier Li Keqiang called on nese visited Australia, beating New Zea- 200th anniversary just came. Yes, Deng Japan ‘to align its development strategies land for the first time. 10-year visas helped, I buried him here in 1981, but whatev- with the Belt and Road Initiative’. China’s as did allowing applications in Chinese. er. My days of learning Communist poli- grandly taking the lead. Why should Japan My hotelier friends in should tics at Melbourne University from Lloyd decline? For exactly the same reason as watch out for their sheets and pillows. Churchward, a member of the Australian wants it to accept. In the leader- Communist Party, are long past. But Xi ship stakes for Asia, Tokyo prefers Japan- hina’s playing catch-up over Korea. Jinping called the dour German the great- made; China likes its Middle Kingdom Japan, with less urgency and more est philosopher in human history. Even the brand. Li in Tokyo gave urgent praise to Cdignity, is doing the same. Stars in Global Times merely said Marx was nume- ‘regional integration’. Gareth Evans used the drama, it’s hard to believe, are two ‘buf- ro uno ‘in the history of the West’. Back to sing this song, but John Howard cor- foons’ despised by fancy thinkers in every in Trier, where Marx grew up, claims were rectly saw Australia as both less and more continent: Trump, a businessman with zero modest. He was ‘one of the greatest sons of than a regional power. By linking the US political experience before reaching the the [small] city,’ said its mayor, receiving alliance with an excellent relationship Oval Office. Kim, a rough playboy whose a statue of the Communist by a Chinese with China, Howard went beyond Keat- only card is Nukes. Yet both amateurs are sculptor. ‘This is a gift of friendship which ing’s mantra of ‘joining Asia’. Asia’s value more interesting and for a moment maybe we receive from China, rather than a polit- to the 21st century lies in trading with the more important than any pair of politi- ical statement.’ A German bystander con- entire world. Not wishing to be another cos in the world. In Dalian with Xi Jin- ceded that Marx ‘changed the world in the EU. Nor under Uncle Sam’s shadow like ping last week, Kim said that as threats 19th century.’ His last appearance was the Latin America. Preferring limits to the recede ‘there is no need for the DPRK to Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. reach of both China and Japan. be a nuclear state.’ Xi commended Kim for shifting the North’s ‘strategic focus ctually, Xi is not a leftist, nor a hina is Number One in the world to economic construction’ and encour- new Mao, two theories that swirl race for a supercomputer, it claims. aged him to focus on ‘improving people’s Aaround a man with no theory. His CIt will be 10 times faster than livelihood’. If Kim does what he vowed preoccupation is to correct, or go beyond, the current quickest one. But don’t for- in Dalian, NK and the US could become Deng. It’s hard for any foreigner to discern get the donkey. Boiled donkey-skin pro- virtual allies, Kim’s eyes would gleam at the real motivations among politicians of duces ejiao, a prized medicine for meno- the prospect of prosperity and reduction another country. Chinese are amazed that pause. However, China’s donkey popula- in Chinese domination, and Trump’s hand Abbott and Turnbull fight like cats within tion fell from 9.4 million in 1996 to 4.6 mil- in Asia would strengthen. If Kim backs their own party. Clinton spent nine days lion in 2016, as farmers left for cities. Many down, his days are numbered, he stays in in China in 1998, because Nixon had spent imported foreign donkeys began to arrive the Chinese box, and the process of Kore- only eight in 1972. Australians seldom after a 2-day trek across Kyrgyzstan. an unification will begin. Isn’t One Korea grasped LBJ’s deep hatred for the Ken- Beyond donkeys, Chinese customs just as legitimate as One China? nedys. But reading scores of Xi’s speeches officials endure a surge of imports of live and listening to intellectuals in his circle, spiders, snakes, scorpions, and tortoises. ometimes in Beijing if something I believe ’s chief calculation is They are posted to China in packages, doesn’t happen online, it doesn’t centered not on Mao, let alone Marx, but destined to be pets for the lonely wealthy. Sseem to happen. An American in on Deng. His political eye is local. Granite- Utah wore a Chinese traditional qipao for faced Deng had the purely negative aim of paid my hotel bill in 100-yuan notes, her graduation with a photo to prove it. pulling off Maoist shackles. Bulky, beam- paid to me for some university lectures. ‘My Culture is NOT your goddamn prom ing Xi wants happiness for all. I Said the young staff lady in Chinese: dress’ snarled a fragile Chinese boy. ‘Cul- ‘Only a little man pays in cash.’ Really? tural appropriation’ fumed a girl in Wuhan. spat over labels and names – pearls ‘Yes, most just wave their phone. I thought To its credit an influential Chinese online of great price to Chinese – reveals you’d be a big man.’ Well, one day. paper took the American’s side: ‘We live A a nagging asymmetry in the Bei- in a globalised world. If a US female is crit- jing-Washington duel. ‘Certain foreign Ross Terrill’s books include ‘The New icised for wearing qipao, what about the airlines,’ 36 in all, refer to Hong Kong Chinese Empire’ ‘Mao’ & ‘Madame Mao’ xii the spectator australia | 26 may 2018 | www.spectator.com.au