A very interesting and optimistic talk from TED.com by Kevin Rudd, past PM of Australia – http://kevinrudd.com/biography
19/11/2014
Narendra Modi Is in Fiji. This Shows Why – India Real Time – WSJ
Pristine beaches, blue skies, it’s not hard to imagine why Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would want to stop by the island nation of Fiji after a hectic few days at the G-20 summit in Australia.
But there’s another reason Mr. Modi has made the newly-minted South Pacific democracy his final port of call during a three-nation tour that concludes Thursday: China.
In 2012, there was an influx of Chinese investors and companies expressing and registering their interest in setting up businesses in Fiji, according to Investment Fiji’s annual report for the year.
Chinese investors accounted for 20% of the projects registered by foreign companies in Fiji in 2012, while Indian investment accounted for 10%, the report said.
China has tried to raise its profile across the South Pacific over the past decade. The 12 South Pacific island nations that make up the region are much less populous than other parts of Asia, but have vast fishing grounds and potentially large deep-sea mineral deposits.
Chinese companies have bought stakes in Fiji’s largest gold mine and invested in its bauxite industry. Foreign direct investment by Chinese companies in Fiji accounted for around 37% of the value of projects registered this year, compared with just 2.9% in 2009.
Trade figures from Fiji’s Bureau of Statistics show that India lags far behind. In 2013, China exported $27.29 million in goods to Fiji, compared to $4.76 million imported to the island from India.
via Narendra Modi Is in Fiji. This Map Shows Why – India Real Time – WSJ.
05/09/2014
Australia to sign uranium export deal with India – Businessweek
Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott met with his Indian counterpart Friday on a two-day state visit during which they are expected to sign a deal to allow the export of Australian uranium to India for use in power generation.
The agreement is expected to be signed Friday evening. Australia, which has almost a third of the world’s known uranium reserves, imposes strict conditions on uranium exports and India’s failure to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty had long been a barrier to a trade deal.
Australia and India have been negotiating a nuclear safeguards agreement with verification mechanisms since 2012, when a former Australian government agreed on civil nuclear energy cooperation with India that would eventually allow the export of Australian uranium to the energy-starved South Asian nation.
India faces chronic shortages of electricity and about 65 percent of its installed power generation capacity comes from burning fossil fuels including oil, coal and natural gas. India is eager to expand its nuclear power capacity.
Australia’s decision to sell uranium to India follows a civil nuclear agreement with the United States. The deal with the U.S. was signed in 2008 and allowed Washington to sell nuclear fuel and technology to India without it giving up its military nuclear program.
India is seeking a similar agreement with Japan. The two sides have claimed “significant progress” but failed to reach a last-minute agreement on safeguards sought by Tokyo when the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Japan earlier this month.
via Australia to sign uranium export deal with India – Businessweek.
20/10/2013
Julie Bishop supports Japan on defence | The Australian
FOREIGN Minister Julie Bishop threw Australia’s support behind Japan’s attempts to shift its military to a more “normal” defence posture in a speech in Tokyo yesterday.
Australia\’s backing for Japan’s proposed move away from a purely defensive military runs the risk of sparking resentment in China, which retains deep suspicion of the hawkish Abe government’s motives for such changes.
Beijing has already complained about the US, Australia and Japan “ganging up” on it over territorial disputes and is likely to take a dim view of Tony Abbott nominating Japan as Australia’s “closest friend” in Asia.
Addressing the Japan National Press Club, Ms Bishop said Australia supported Japan being able to play a greater role in collective security missions with Australia or other allies.
“We look forward to Japan making a greater contribution to security in our region and beyond – including through our alliances with the United States,” she said. “We support Japan’s plan to work towards a more normal defence posture to help it play that greater role.”
Japan has a large and well-equipped military, with a powerful navy, but is heavily restricted in how it operates by the pacifist constitution drawn up with US input after the end of World War II.
Ms Bishop said she was aware of how closely regional powers were eyeing Japan\’s moves to change its defence posture, but said it needed greater flexibility to participate in joint operations.
“We work in partnership with Japan in many places around the world and it would be better for the region, Australia and the world for them to play a bigger role,\” told The Australian after the speech. “For example, Japan and Australia were working side by side in Afghanistan. If Australians were attacked, Japan would not have been able to support us, so that’s not normal.
“It seems sensible to allow Japan to respond more appropriately and in a more normal way to collective defence measures.”
As the Abbott government strives to conclude free trade agreements with Japan, China and Korea within 12 months, defence scholar Hugh White warned in an opinion piece that China might retaliate by withdrawing from FTA negotiations if Australia continued to embrace Japan with such fervour.
Ms Bishop did not agree with Dr White\’s view and said Australia could juggle relations with North Asia’s two great powers – and our largest trading partners – with a “deft” political touch.
“We value our relationship with China, we want to more broadly and deeply engage with China so it is not just seen through the prism of a resources and trading relationship, and that message is warmly received in Beijing,” she said.
via Julie Bishop supports Japan on defence | The Australian.
CHINDIA ALERT: You'll be living in their world, very soon 