Book Review: Australia’s China odyssey: from euphoria to fear, by James Curran (UNSW Press, 2022)
December 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Australia-China diplomatic relations and James Curran’s Australia’s China Odyssey provides an opportune moment to reflect on how and why we have arrived at this current juncture of bilateral relations. In many ways, as Curran succinctly documents the highs and lows of the relationship, the reader is challenged to take a deep look into the Australian psyche vis-à-vis China, and perhaps, the wider Asia-Pacific. Are we, as Australians, so narrow in our focus and mired in the politics of every day, so much so that we cannot increase our aperture when looking at China? That is, can we not see China beyond simply as a trade partner or national security threat?
Beyond binary choices in Australia China relations | Lowy Institute
