Foreign policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Foreign policy - Essay Example China’s economy has grown steadily over the past thirty years; it is the nation with the highest level of foreign reserves currently. The country is acknowledged as the manufacturing capital of the world with a number of exports that rivals most nations of the world. A number of the issues associated with China’s prosperity have emerged; a number of them are predominantly ideological and social. The Chinese government has struggled with internal conflicts between itself and Tibet as well as challenges with Taiwan. Criticisms have also been brought out against the country concerning cyber security as well as its respect for democracy and human rights. For the first time in history, Australia must engage with a centre of power that lacks political and cultural similarities to the nation. In the past, major investors in Australia were largely democratic and western, so it was not difficult for foreign policy experts to forge partnerships between these nations. However, China is a unique case for the country because of the unconventional nature of its social-political climate; some reconciliations and transitions must take place before sustainable relations can be reached (Camilleri, Martin and Michael, 2013). China and Australia’s symbiotic association can largely be attributed to Australia’s mineral resources and China’s huge demand for these resources. On the other hand, several Chinese students come to Australia to acquire a higher education while other older citizens think of Australia as a preferred tourist destination. Australia has been influential in getting China to participate in multilateral institutions, most of which dwell on regional cooperation. Now the largest import source for Australia is China as it brings in about 15.3% of the nations’ inputs. Goods exchanges are not one-sided among these two nations as Australia exports 22.6% of its items to the above country (Capling, 2008). Regardless of the