I attended a seminar at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo yesterday titled "Australia and Japan: Partners in a Time of Regional Turbulence." Guest speakers and panelists were Professor Michael Wesley, Professor Veronica Taylor, Professor John Blaxland, and Dr. Imelda Deinia from Australian National University; VADM (ret.) Hideaki Kaneda from the Okazaki Institute; and COL (ret.) Grant Newsham. They spoke and discussed about collaboration between Australia and Japan in various aspects ranging from economic to military amidst the changes of the times, with a more assertive China and the United States' current lack of a grand strategy in dealing with China.
Overall, the seminar was informative and, more importantly, thought-provoking. It made me think a lot more about the underlying issues, and what are the questions we really should be looking at. Dealing with China's actions in this day and age is one thing, but that means we will always be one step behind; we are reactive. The important thing is to have an overall grand strategy which guides the formation of plans as well as responses to China's actions.
And therein lies the next bigger question: what are we trying to achieve (the objective), and why do we want to achieve it (the purpose)?
Until we can answer ourselves on what the purpose is, what our objectives are, and what is our grand strategy for achieving this purpose and objectives, we will always be one step behind. And the most worrying part is: China is not as lost as us. China knows what it wants, and how to get there. China has shared a portion of its goals and plans with the rest of the world, but we would be stupid to believe that is everything, or that it is even entirely true. In trying to formulate our own purpose and objectives, we will need to discern China's through its actions and our understanding of the Chinese mindset, culture, political system, society, etc.
We have a late start in this race, but being late is better than not being there at all.
I will share more of my thoughts related to this in subsequent posts. Quite a bit to sort out.
Overall, the seminar was informative and, more importantly, thought-provoking. It made me think a lot more about the underlying issues, and what are the questions we really should be looking at. Dealing with China's actions in this day and age is one thing, but that means we will always be one step behind; we are reactive. The important thing is to have an overall grand strategy which guides the formation of plans as well as responses to China's actions.
And therein lies the next bigger question: what are we trying to achieve (the objective), and why do we want to achieve it (the purpose)?
Until we can answer ourselves on what the purpose is, what our objectives are, and what is our grand strategy for achieving this purpose and objectives, we will always be one step behind. And the most worrying part is: China is not as lost as us. China knows what it wants, and how to get there. China has shared a portion of its goals and plans with the rest of the world, but we would be stupid to believe that is everything, or that it is even entirely true. In trying to formulate our own purpose and objectives, we will need to discern China's through its actions and our understanding of the Chinese mindset, culture, political system, society, etc.
We have a late start in this race, but being late is better than not being there at all.
I will share more of my thoughts related to this in subsequent posts. Quite a bit to sort out.
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