China Warns Australia - Choose Between us or America

[oilguy]

It is rare in diplomatic circles for governments to speak bluntly, particularly in the Orient, where manners are highly prized.

The exceptions to this rule are retired military officers, who are often able to voice sentiments too impolitic for other channels.

One of the more startling pronouncements in this vein occurred last week when Song Xiaojun, a former senior officer of the People's Liberation Army, warned that Australia cannot juggle its relationships with the United States and China indefinitely and "Australia has to find a godfather sooner or later. Australia always has to depend on somebody else, whether it is to be the 'son' of the US or 'son' of China. (It) depends on who is more powerful, and based on the strategic environment." Noting the rising importance of China as an export market Song added that Australia depended on exporting iron ore to China "to feed itself," but "Frankly, it has not done well politically."

What is also notable about Song’s remarks is that they coincided with Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr's first official visit to China, where Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi urged Australia to dismiss its alliance with the United States, a decades-old bipartisan and central pillar of the nation’s foreign policy, as ''the time for Cold War alliances has passed.''
Full article at: http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-Gener ... or-US.html

[AnOriginalIdea]

I think Australians should immediately choose China. Nothing good will ever come from choosing America, being a vassal, resource colony of the Chinese is infinitely better.

[RenewableCandy]

Strangely, I think you're wrong. Unless you know a lot more about China's history and character than I do, which would be interesting.

Ideally, I think Australia should choose a greater degree of self-reliance, i.e. try and grow more of its own food (or come to an arrangement with the Kiwis), so it doesn't have to export that Iron.

[UndercoverElephant]

Australia has two serious problems when it comes to food self-sufficiency. The first is the arid/unpredictable climate and the second, surprisingly enough for a continent so rich in many mineral/metal deposits, is the very poor quality of the soils. Australia depends more than any other region on importing various sorts of fertilisers to make up for this (Jared Diamond described Australia as being like a giant plant pot.) The reason is that the soils are so old, geologically, and a relative lack of volcanic and tectonic/geological activity.

[kenneal - lagger]

.............Australia depends more than any other region on importing various sorts of fertilisers to make up for this (Jared Diamond described Australia as being like a giant plant pot.) The reason is that the soils are so old, geologically, and a relative lack of volcanic and tectonic/geological activity.

Rockdust is the answer for their soils.

China couldn't not import iron and coal from Australia. There aren't sufficient sources elsewhere in the world. What Australia has to be careful of is refusing to export her natural resources to anyone with the power to come and take them. Australia has to assess which of the great powers is least likely to come and take those resources and make a protective alliance with them. They can ten continue selling to whoever they want.

[woodburner]

Rockdust is the answer for their soils.

But not for everyone.

http://www.uk.gardenweb.com/forums/load ... 21292.html

RE: Rockdust

So the advertising is working then You're not sure, better add some just in case? Please don't, 90% chance your soil is healthy and balanced.

If a soil test tells you to add something, I would strongly recommend you don't add some expensive product that won't even tell you what it contains. Do you even know if it is is alkaline or acid? Here's a quote for you: "it contains a natural balance of lime", how can they know what is a healthy balance of lime without knowing what your soil is like? Its not even truly organic (in the sense of being sustainable), its mined! Here's another quote for you: "SEER Rockdust is freshly crushed volcanic rock from Collace Quarry in Perthshire, Scotland." Please don't be taken in by their frequent mention of the word "organic", because they aren't. Basalt is allowed by the Soil Association only by written permission and with a special justification.

The one thing that rock dust will not supply, and I can guarantee this, is nitrogen. Much maligned by the trendy modern soil fetishists, it is still the single most important nutrient for plants. Your composted manure provides that plus a wide range of minerals and trace elements, in balanced quantities

If you really want to go ahead with some powdered rock, and some soils will certainly benefit from added basalt, check for a more local source. Quarried basalt dust is a waste product and is available for around thirty quid a ton delivered, or bagged for about a pound a kilo. The exact chemical makeup of basalt varies with location but expect any basalt to be a mix of calcium, sodium, magnesium, and iron silicates, relatively inert and, if anything, acidic although several remarks on the SEER pages imply that their dust is alkaline.

[the_lyniezian]

All I can say is th Chinese must be getting very bold if they're making pronouncements like this. Something doesn't sit right with trying to push other countries around like this...

[peaceful_life]

Rockdust is the answer for their soils.

But not for everyone.

http://www.uk.gardenweb.com/forums/load ... 21292.html

http://permaculture.org.au/2009/12/11/g ... -ii-final/ perhaps there's other ways.

[BritDownUnder]

Difficult to know whether they are serious or not. Probably after years of Australian politicians fawning over Asian countries and proclaiming that Australia is "part of Asia" the Asian politicians are agreeing with them at last.

Certainly makes sense to stay with the US at the moment as US have enough coal and iron ore of their own. I should say here that the Australian export economy is basically a huge iron and coal mining operation. Australia could produce a lot more food if sufficient water storage was available in the form of reservoirs or solar desalination. I hear seawater greenhouses are being trialed. An incredible amount of land lies idle also.

I would encourage people to read the works of Dr Tim Flannery about the Australian ecosystems.

[peaceful_life]

http://fora.tv/2010/07/28/Niall_Ferguso ... e_of_Chaos

Niall Ferguson leture in Australia 2010.

There may well be a transcript, i haven't looked.