From Far East To Near North: Australia's Perspectives Of Asia And Its Policies

Geographically close to Asia, Australia had for a long time identified itself as a nation culturally, politically, socially, and economically close to Europe and North America. Therefore for a long time in history its diplomatic policies had centered around the U.K. and the U.S.A. After the end of the Second World War, the U.K's international influential power became considerably weakened, thus withdrawing to Europe; later as the U.S. had stuck in the Vietnam War, claiming to reduce the security support to its allies, Australia had to review its immediate neighborhood and foreign policies. Since the 1980s the regional groupings had become a trend while Asia has become a region enjoying more strategic significance and greater economic boost, as a result, Australia has endeavored to positively engage with this region. What has changed in terms of Australia's perspectives of Asia? What policies have this country been pursuing in order to integrate into Asia? Could policy consistency among different governments be identified? And what is the prospect of the engagement with Asia policy? Those questions are the major focuses of this research.This research firstly provides a historical perspective of Australia's perception of Asia since the end of the Second World War. Then it elaborates three governments' diplomatic initiatives and policies towards Asia chronologically, namely the Keating, Howard and Rudd Government. Those initiatives cover the economic integration and cooperation, security and strategic arrangements and cultural exchanges etc, based on which a consistency is identified. Finally the author explores the prospect of Australia's engagement with and integration into Asia.Australia has been for a long time faced with the choice between history and geography. At the first half of the twentieth century, Australia had adopted a hostile and skeptic attitudes towards Asia. Since the 1970s, with the economic development of Asia and driven by security concerns, Australia has gradually promoted its diplomatic relations with Asian countries, and adopted polices to facilitate this trend. In 1989 Prime Minister Hawke initiated the establishment of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which has gathered momentum in the succeeding governments. This effort has won Australia a sound reputation in the region, as an active player and contributor in Asia Pacific.In conclusion, with the implementation of the Engagement with Asia policy, the economic and security cooperation has been reinforced and the number of immigrants, students and tourists from Asia has been on the rise, which in return also casts a positive influence upon the exchanges between Australia and Asia. Though there are also challenges and setbacks, such as cultural or ideological conflicts, however as Asia gradually becomes more and more recognized in the international community, Australia is expected to pay adequate attention to its northern neighbors and promote the policies dated for almost 30 years. Just as Australia's former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer once remarked, Australia's future lies in Asia and the Australian government is committed to that future.