Sheridan misses the point on PM Rudd and Asia

Yesterday's Australian Literary Review  has a piece by Greg Sheridan on PM Rudd and Asia. Sheridan has some interesting comments on Rudd's vision for relations with Asia, especially China, and the US but spoils it by waffling on foreign policy analysts which sounds tired and whingeing.

He misses the point in questioning whether Rudd is a "panda hugger". It is not an either/or proposition - the point of speaking Mandarin and learning about China is that you can understand issues and make informed decisions, it doesn't mean you automatically become pro-China. And what does pro-China mean anyway? Does it mean you support the government, or that you have Chinese interests at heart? Asia literacy is about opening up opportunities for understanding and cooperation, not siding with Asian governments. Sheridan's piece has a nice plug for DFAT and Asian languages though.

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