Susilo, Howard make their pitch in U.S.<\/p>\n
S.P. Seth, Sydney<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's recent U.S. trip, and his
\nattendance at the UN summit, is one of those exercises which
\nheads of states and governments usually do. Therefore, not much
\nis expected by way of concrete results. This indeed seems true of
\nSusilo's visit too. These trips are generally pleasant
\ndistractions from the pressures of domestic politics, with
\nforeign hosts making the visitor feel all important and most
\nrelevant to them and their state of affairs.<\/p>\n
Well, all good things must come to an end. Susilo is now back
\nhome to deliver goods, not an easy task in a country where less
\nhas to mean more. Still, if he has managed to evoke U.S. interest
\nand attention to the urgency of Indonesia's situation in terms of
\ntrade, investments and foreign debt, it would help ease Susilo's
\ntasks at home. Not surprisingly, Susilo has been working to
\ncreate a better image of Indonesia in the United States.<\/p>\n
At the same time, his neighbor, Australia, is seeking to
\ncreate some political space for its diplomacy between the United
\nStates and China. It is well-known that Australia is one of the
\nUnited States' closest political and military ally.<\/p>\n
Canberra played an important role in bringing about an
\nindependent East Timor. It is now part of the 'coalition of the
\nwilling' in the U.S.-led military operations in Iraq. It has
\nsteadfastly supported the United States in its political and
\nmilitary missions across the globe, including vis-a-vis China.
\nFor instance, during the Taiwan crisis of 1996 at the time of its
\npresidential elections, Australia was one with the United States
\nto deter China from any use of military force.<\/p>\n
Lately, though, there has been some change of emphasis.
\nWithout question, Australia's alliance with the United States is
\nstill the cornerstone of its foreign and security policy. But its
\nperception of China as an inevitable security threat has
\nundergone important change. For instance, Foreign Minister
\nAlexander Downer reportedly said, while in Beijing a while ago,
\nthat Australia's ANZUS security treaty with the United States
\ndidn't necessarily mean Australia's involvement in a military
\nconflict over Taiwan.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister John Howard, though, has been more diplomatic
\nby brushing away such questions as hypothetical. He even refused
\nto buy into President Bush's invitation, during a July visit to
\nthe United States, to \" work together to reinforce the need for
\nChina to accept certain values as universal-the value of minority
\nrights, the value of freedom of people to speak...\"<\/p>\n
Howard had earlier spelled out the rationale of his
\ngovernment's new China policy during a speech in Beijing in
\nApril. He said at the time, \"If you want to build an enduring
\nassociation with a nation, you should do it within a realistic
\nframework. You should not allow it to be dominated by differences
\nand dominated by history.\"<\/p>\n
In other words, Australia prefers to concentrate on a growing
\neconomic relationship between the two countries. China has
\ncontracted to buy billions of dollars worth of gas from Australia
\nover two decades or more. Australia is also supplying other raw
\nmaterials for China's surging economy. Indeed the current slack
\nfrom a slowing housing sector is being made up by the growing
\ndemand from China for Australia's mining and other resource
\nmaterials. And it is getting much higher prices for its
\ncommodities because of the robust global demand.<\/p>\n
China is also keen to invest in Australia's resources sector.
\nAnd they are launched on a free trade agreement. One can,
\ntherefore, see how important China is becoming to Australia's
\neconomic prosperity. China is also very important in terms of
\nAustralia's engagement with Asia. With Beijing's imprimatur,
\nAustralia's Asian credentials will become more credible.<\/p>\n
But Beijing feels uncomfortable about Canberra's American
\nconnection. Its U.S. alliance is seen as directed to contain
\nChina, at least until very recently. That would make dependence
\non Australia for essential resources for China's economic growth
\na dicey thing.<\/p>\n
And Australia has been doing its bit to reassure China in this
\nregard. It is still an enthusiastic U.S. ally, but is seeking to
\nextract political autonomy in its relations with China. Indeed,
\nin some ways, it is even becoming a spokesman of sorts for China
\nand that too in the United States.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a recent Asia Society function in New York, Prime
\nMinister John Howard conceded that China's rise would inevitably
\nplace stress on the international system. He then forcefully
\nsaid, \"But to see China's rise in zero-sum terms is overly
\npessimistic, intellectually misguided and potentially dangerous.\"<\/p>\n
He went on to make a strong case on China's behalf. He said,
\n\"Its economic liberalization and integration into the world
\nsystem has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty.
\nIts growth in recent years has helped to sustain the expansion of
\nthe global economy and of world trade.\"<\/p>\n
John Howard, though, knows that Taiwan is a serious obstacle
\nbetween China and the United States, and fervently hopes that it
\nwould be resolved peacefully. But if this were to develop into a
\nmilitary conflict, Australia might have to excuse itself from
\nentering the fray.<\/p>\n
Howard is not apologetic about Australia's newly-found
\npassionate advocacy of China's growing role in Asia-Pacific,
\nregarding it as natural and for good. He believes that,
\n\"Australia's strong relationship with China is not just based on
\neconomic opportunity.\" According to him, \"We seek to build on
\nshared goals and not become obsessed with those things that make
\nus different.\"<\/p>\n
Did Howard mean that the United States was obsessed about
\nChina? He obviously wouldn't. And he heaped praise on the United
\nStates' global leadership role, and as a Pacific power. To quote
\nHoward, \"America is a great Pacific power and, as has often been
\nthe case, it fulfills its regional role most powerfully when it
\nprovides global leadership.\"<\/p>\n
He added, \"America's alliance relationships, including with
\nAustralia, will be the anchors for that U.S. presence.\"<\/p>\n
Only time will tell how Australia will do this Houdini-like
\nact of reconciling its U.S. alliance with China's rising power in
\nAsia-Pacific! But it will certainly please Beijing that Canberra
\nis pitching for it in the United States. Washington won't like
\nit, but Australia remains its strategic ally.<\/p>\n
At about the same time as Howard was speaking in New York,
\nSusilo was doing his bit to make friends and influence powerful
\npeople in the United States to promote Indonesia. Indonesia
\ncertainly is now more visible in the international community but
\nthere is a fair way to go.<\/p>\n
The author is a freelance writer. He can be reached at
\nSushilPSeth@aol.com.<\/p>",
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