Should we worry about Chinese investment in Australia?

Let me say at the outset I am not anti-Chinese people as individuals. There is a lot to like about Chinese people, their culture, their sense of family and of course their food. It is the communist regime and the regime’s two-facedness I have problems with. Recently the Chinese Foreign Minister criticised Australia for mentioning the Chinese military build -up in the South China Sea. The Chinese are reclaiming land and building military bases. They don’t admit this, but it is obvious. This military build-up is a belligerent act. Australia is right to have concerns over this. It is not what we should expect from a so called ‘friendly nation’.

Let us not forget that China is a communist, autocratic government where the party and its interests are paramount. Not a lot happens in China without the tentacles of the party somewhere in the mix. Their human rights record is atrocious. All media is censored including the internet. People who dissent can end up in the most intolerable of situations if not executed. It is a pity that Australia’s human rights record is not too good. Any criticism of China’s record can only be seen as hypocritical.

The Communist party’s flirtation with capitalism and business is because it suits them. They may showcase the trappings of wealth, but power and control by the party is inherent in their mentality. The Communist machine in China and its control of the military and police ensures it has control over the masses.

If power and control exists internally in China, there is reason to suppose that such mentality will extend externally. Remember Marx… Power and control of the physical and the mental is wrested in those who own the means of production. China is in the process of extending its sphere of influence through various means, including ownership of the means of production in areas of mining and agriculture.

In Australia the Chinese bought into the Cubbie cotton empire when nobody else would. They have bought more than $450 million dollars worth of cattle producing land in Queensland. They own the only productive mine in Broken Hill, the largest dairy in Tasmania and have leased the port of Darwin and its facilities through which the US marines rotate and have a large share in the port of Newcastle. While the downturn in the iron ore and coal prices has seen some lessening of Chinese interests in these commodities, they do still own a sizeable amount of these assets. China buys a great amount of our iron ore and coal. China benefits from the lower prices. It suits their construction program to have these commodities cheaper. They are still buying, but at much lower prices. Is it possible they orchestrated their own downturn in the economy because the price of iron ore and coal was too high?

It is not only in Australia where the Chinese have been investing. They have invested heavily in the New Zealand dairy industry. In poorer countries they have become a benevolent benefactor providing financial aid and investing in project to curry favour.

World domination by the Communists from China by influencing supply and demand through the ownership of the means of production. Now there is food for thought.

What do you think?

To write for Starts at 60 and potentially win a $20 voucher, send your articles to our Community Editor here.