Australia: China is not your enemy

Watch a video of this article here: https://youtu.be/lCrweT_celU

Wherever you are in the world, welcome to another edition of Jerry’s take on China and this time I’m back to talk about some issues related to China, rather than my last couple of videos which were critical of the US because of their relationship with China.

It’s been an interesting week. I wrote an article and made a video a couple of weeks ago about propaganda called the Greatest Propaganda Campaign in Human History and sent it to an independent publication in Australia called Pearls and Irritations. I urge you all to take a look at Pearls and irritations which is a clever name, in it there are some pearls of wisdom and because of its balance, there are things in it we might not agree with which could irritate us but one thing I do know, they won’t publish the usual rubbish of China being an enemy or even a threat, unless there’s some justification for it.

Pearls and Irritations was founded by and is still overseen by John Menadue who was a diplomat, he’s also been an advisor to Prime Ministers and really does know what he’s talking about.

John is not pro-China, he’s not Anti-China either; he’s very much pro-Australia, as I am and has a critical enough brain to realise that not everything we read about as far as China is concerned is true.

When I was told that this article was the number one article of the week, I was genuinely pleased but this is when the BBC’s man in China decided to denigrate both John Menadue and myself. Accusing John and his editorial team of having “bad judgement” and describing my writing as “deluded apologist propaganda from the Communist Party’s useful idiot attack dogs”. Wow!

I wouldn’t mind if the BBC’s man in China had the decency to attack me personally but he’s blocked me on Twitter so, I have no right of reply. It would also be nice if he read the article and actually told me which part of it he disagreed with. Whether he has read it or not, I have no idea, but what I do know is that he’s never once told me I’m wrong and justified that, he’s only called me names. I was a “bike riding bozo” once and I’ve also been a Doofus, whatever that is!

It makes me wonder if the BBC know, or if they even care that they have this loose cannon on their hands.

But, enough of that, let’s move on to more important things.

So many people have asked me why I don’t comment on AUKUS and the truth is, I do sometimes, but I’m not the expert, I’m definitely not the go to person on what Australia are thinking and I deliberately left it alone because it’s not the area of expertise that I have, there are many more people with much better minds than mine commenting on it, they don’t get into mainstream media but they do get their voices heard in Pearls and Irritations, another reason why I’d urge you to read and, like I do, subscribe to it.

The only comment I will make about AUKUS is that the entire debacle is based on misunderstanding, misinterpretations and, in some cases, I’m sorry to say this, even lies. China is not poised to invade Taiwan, it’s a ridiculous notion but what’s even more ridiculous is that Australia is next in line. Australia is not “next in line”.

Why would you think this of your largest trading partner?

People who think Australia is being “bought up” by China need to get their heads examined — you read a headline which says China tops the list buying up Australia but you don’t read the story which, Australia’s Dept of Immigration will tell you is true, Chinese migrants are coming in large numbers, as are Indian. These people are now Australian residents and Australian citizens so, if you’re really against them buying property in your neighbourhood, you’re probably being racist and, if you really don’t like it, don’t blame the Chinese, for being Chinese, talk to your elected representative about stopping or slowing immigration from China. They’ll probably, quite rightly, tell you there’s nothing can be done to prevent new Australians investing in their new homes. Australia is a multicultural country, get used to it and embrace the differences they bring you. You might even find you like them.

Then there’s the “China is buying up our farms and businesses” story. Did you know that Chinese investments in Australia equals only 2.2% of all foreign investments? Probably not because you might have seen headlines which say “Chinas investment in Australian Farmland Soars” And it’s true, at the time, it soared what really happened was, it went from 1.7% to 2.2% of all the foreign owned land.

That article was from 2017, just as the “China bad narrative” was starting. The investments, for obvious reasons, have decreased since then, even the BBC reported in 2021, that Chinese investments in Australia have plummeted.

So, if you believe these myths about Chinese investments taking over or driving up prices it’s understandable, given the headlines but, I’m sorry, you’ve been misled.

Even the Guardian has been telling you this with a great headline from July 2021 quoting a University of Technology Sydney (UTS) report which stated clearly that 82% of Australians mistakenly believe Chinese investors are driving up property prices; they aren’t.

Australia, here’s a very important message for you: China is not your enemy.

In fact, without China Australia would lose over 40% of exports and 40% of all imports. In short, without China, Australia will return to 1980’s revenue.

A 2019 report by Deloitte and released by Price Waterhouse Coopers showed that over half a million Australians will lose their jobs if Australia’s trade with China slows down — Slows Down!

Imagine how bad it will be if we’re at war and it stops altogether. So, again. China is not your enemy.

Think about who has been misleading you and why… There’s the real enemy.

BTW, Pearls and Irritations or John Menadue have no idea I’ve made this video. I’m not soliciting on their behalf, I’m not expecting to get paid by them and I don’t get paid when I write articles for them. So please do not jump on the bandwagon of “Jerry gets paid to do this” I do this because I love Australia and I’d really like the bridge to be rebuilt between Australia and China, where I happen to live.