Opinion | Australian business leader in Macau seeks reset as China-Australia relationship becomes 'hugely disappointing'

By Augustus K. Yeung

"Like all fair-minded people, I fervently hope that all nations can co-exist peacefully and co-operatively, doing trade together for the common good, respecting each other's sovereignty, and developing economies and societies across the globe in a positive way…" Andrew W Scott (former Vice Chairman of the Australian Chamber of Commerce Macau.)

Introduction

In recent years, I have noticed that "foreign" Business leaders are like, in the language of Chinese idiomatic expression, "Ducks that are the first (among nature's other wonderful creatures) to notice the arrival of spring, as they sense the warming of river water."

Foreign businesspeople in all parts of China have shown themselves in tune with China's miraculous economic development. They seem to better understand their host country than their political leaders, who in recent years have been easily led by the US and getting political to the detriment of its relations with China--Australia's first trading nation.

In this LETTER TO THE EDITOR, Andrew W Scott, a former Australian business leader working and living in Macau, one of China's Special Administration Region (SAR), airs his experience-based grievances against the Scott Morrison administration and his fellow ministers for bungling the current China-Australia relationship.

Here is the letter in its unedited version. (LETTER TO THE EDITOR. Macau Daily Times. March 10, 2022)

'CHINA-AUSTRALIA RELATIONS TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTING'

Dear Editor,

I write as an Australian private citizen who first visited Macau in 2005 and has been an active business owner in the SAR since 2009.

When I first started visiting Macau I was immediately drawn to the unique east-meets-west culture, urban geography and people. I also saw great business opportunity and decide to invest heavily in Macau both emotionally and financially.

Some come to Macau for employment which may last a few years, but I immediately adopted Macau in my heart as a new and permanent home. I quickly realized the importance of trying to learn a little bit of Chinese, immersing in local culture as much as possible, and making an authentic contribution to the community. When others ask me when I am going to "go home," I reply, "Macau is my home."

Historically, there has been a very active community of Australians in Macau, many of whom, passed on their knowledge and skills to local employees who have risen through the ranks. Australians have created jobs and made a significant contribution to the healthy and sustainable development of Macau. Many Australians love to explore the world and I think it is the Australian culture of "mateship," along with being a young society which eschews class differences that sees Australians assimilating into cultures in a deeper way than some other foreigners. Australians think nothing of a doctor and a bricklayer being friends, going to the football or sharing a weekend BBQ together with their families.

Like all fair-minded people, I fervently hope that all nations can co-exist peacefully and co-operatively, doing trade together for the common good, respecting each other's sovereignty, and developing economies and societies across the globe in a positive way. Being friends doesn't mean always agreeing, but it does mean understanding and respecting that your friend might do things differently to the way you do, and they have every right to do so. Live and let live.

It is with this in mind that I have become terribly disappointed in the current posture of the Australian government towards China. The many examples have been well documented in the media. In recent years the Australian Prime Minister and other senior government ministers have made statements which are doing extreme harm to the Australians living in Macau, Hong Kong and the rest of China.

This rhetoric, which is continuing to worsen and to damage Australia's reputation abroad, eventually led to my resignation – on principle – as Vice Chairman of the Australian Chamber of Commerce Macau. But Australian in Macau are necessarily ambassadors for our country of citizenship, so I will always strive in my own way to help the relationship between the Chinese and Australian people to be one of friendship, cooperation and mutual benefit.

I find the current relationship between China and Australia hugely disappointing and totally counter-productive for Australia. China has been Australia's number one trading partner and the mining, education, and food industries, just to name three, have enjoyed the benefit of doing enormous business with China in recent decades. I can only hope that somehow in years to come relations between the two countries might return to their friendly state they once were.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew W Scott

9 March 2022

Conclusion

When Mr. Andrew Scott is telling people what a foreign business leader is doing business in China and how foreigners should best approach China, a trade-oriented country, Mr. Scott Morrison, the Australian prime minister, was bragging to the Australian voters how he was able to stop an "incursion" by regularly talking to the leaders of the region and offering vaccine aid, frustrating the Chinese advancement in the Pacific islands.

Morrison said China had been "very clear" about aspirations to build a military base in the Pacific islands, but that had not materialized. This was because Australia worked closely with the region, including providing Covid-19 vaccines before others could offer support, he said in a television interview.

"I talked to Pacific leaders every single week and that is what ensures that we can block the incursion into our region, because we share values with the Pacific," he said. ("Vaccines 'help Australia keep China out of Pacific Islands'". South China Morning Post. Monday, March 14, 2022)

When in fact, Australia and the US are "resurrecting a cold war mentality", while China's help would "build a community with a shared future for China and the Pacific island countries", according to China.

Who is lying and who is stating the facts? Mr. Andrew Scott should know well; Morrison is sounding more like a cheap politician.

 

The author is a freelance writer; formerly Adjunct Lecturer, taught MBA Philosophy of Management, and International Strategy, and online columnist of 3-D Corner (HKU SPACE), University of Hong Kong.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of DotDotNews.

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