China Panic: Australia's Alternative to Paranoia and Pandering

by David Brophy

When he visited Australia in 2014, Chinese president Xi Jinping said there was an ‘ocean of goodwill’ between our country and his. Since then that ocean has shown dramatic signs of freezing over. Australia is in the grip of a China Panic. How did we get here and what’s the way out?

We hear, weekly, alarming stories of Chinese influence, interference or even espionage – in politics, on campus, in the media, in community organisations and elsewhere. The United States now sees China as a strategic rival, and pressure on Australia to ‘get tough on China’ will only intensify.

While the xenophobic right hovers in the wings, some of the loudest voices decrying Chinese subversion come, unexpectedly, from the left. Aligning themselves with hawkish think tanks, they call for new security laws, increased scrutiny of Chinese Australians and, if necessary, military force – a prescription for a sharp rightward turn in Australian politics.

In this insightful critique, David Brophy offers a progressive alternative. Instead of punitive measures that restrict rights and stoke suspicion of minorities – moves that would only make Australia more like China – we need democratic solutions that strengthen Australian institutions and embrace, not alienate, Chinese Australians. Above all, we need forms of international solidarity that don’t reduce human rights to a mere bargaining chip.

Genres: China, Australia, Politics, Nonfiction, International Relations, Asia, Economics

272 pages, Paperback

Published August 10, 2020

About the author

David Brophy is a senior lecturer in Modern Chinese History at the University of Sydney

Reviews

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘In many ways, Australians have become afraid of China again.’

Almost fifty years ago, I became interested in the culture and history of China. While much of my interest was in pre 20th century history I continue to follow China’s emergence as a world power. How can I live in Australia and not do so? David Brophy is an historian, and in this book, he identifies several different interests in those offering commentary on China. Security warnings abound as do concerns over sovereignty and China’s increasing influence within the region. And, of course, there are those who believe that we need to make a binary choice: to ally with either China or the USA. Our trade with China is important, as are our ties to the USA. How do we decide what is in Australia’s national interest?

Since being forced out of isolation by the West during the 19th century, China has observed and learned. Since the 1970s China has been far more actively involved in world affairs. As Mr Brophy observes:

‘No modern country has travelled quite the same path as China – from a state of semi-colonial subservience to its current position of a heavy weight in the global system. It has done so in a world not of its making and its rise cannot be considered in isolation from that wider world.’

One important issue is that China is starting to play by the same rules that the West has previously developed and benefitted from. Another issue is that Australia’s response to security concerns results in an authoritarian response which impacts on our own freedoms. Racism and xenophobia feed into our responses. And since this book was written, Australia signed the AUKUS agreement.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the current debate about China. We need to separate our legitimate concerns from paranoid Sinophobia.

There are eight chapters in this book, in addition to an introduction and a conclusion:
Chapter 1. China and the World
Chapter 2. The US-China Rivalry Today
Chapter 3. Influencing the Region
Chapter 4. Interfering with Democracy
Chapter 5. Cold-War Campus
Chapter 6. Human Rights and Xinjian
Chapter 7. The Battle for Hong Kong
Chapter 8. Sovereignty, Values and Racism.

‘There’s no point in telling China to stop playing power politics in the region if Australia’s side is doing the same thing.’

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Henry Devitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential read for anyone even vaguely interested in the Australian China debate, modern media, and the direction of Australian society. Brophy provides an incredibly sobering perspective to an incredibly complex discussion. The book often draws parallels between Australia's treatment of China and its perceived agenda to great effect, demonstrating our own selective biases.

By excessively demonising China and generating overblown and unproductive paranoia regarding its influence, genuine concerns are diluted and left undiscussed. Our domestic campaign against foreign interference has contributed to a global climate of paranoia that only encourages authoritarian crackdowns at home. In other words, the values we seek to protect from foreign influence, namely democracy, liberty, and the protection of human rights, are weakened and challenged in the name of security, thereby unintentionally advancing what we perceive and fear China's goals to be. We're beginning to see disturbing similarities between China's authoritarian practices, and the ones we adopt at home

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the book that every Australian needs to read (and people elsewhere where there are similarly divisive debates about China as well). David Brophy, with scholarly precision and cool analysis (and one who has devoted much of his career to understanding Xinjiang, and speaks the Uyghur language) shows that there is a way to be critical of the PRC without being a 'China hater'.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty outstanding read.

Timely read too (Australia's federal election is tomorrow).

Very well researched and described book by Brophy.
I'd give Brophy a trophy.

Companion Books I Recommend
I found this similar to the following books, I also recommend:
Silent Invasion: China's Influence In Australia
Regulating the Rise of China: Australia’s Foray into Middle Power Economics
Stealth War: How China Took Over While America's Elite Slept
Claws of the Panda: Beijing's Campaign of Influence and Intimidation in Canada
Wilful Blindness: How a Criminal Network of Narcos, Tycoons and CCP Agents Infiltrated the West
...


Final Thoughts
I would recommend!

4.7/5

[David Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight into Australia's relationship with China and US influence, and how damaging taking a binary view of this is to our interests. Who's interest does China-panic serve? How do we change this narrative?

[John Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

In "China Panic," David Brophy embarks on a necessary exploration of the intricacies defining China-Australia relations. My journey through the book, however, was met with moments of challenge. Not so much the ideas of the author (though I disagree on several points), as I genuinely believe that the China conversation is too reductivist, but the approach and framework presented seemed to stop short of providing genuine actionable insights.


Brophy demonstrates commendable academic rigour, particularly in his focus on Xinjiang and Hong Kong and matters of human rights and self-determinism. Yet, the text feels lacking in its engagement with critical, pressing issues such as the South China Sea (SCS). As Australia's entanglement in SCS affairs deepens, the need for constructive dialogue and strategic engagement becomes increasingly critical—a scenario ripe for the application of Brophy’s advocated "alternative approach," though it remains underexplored.

 
From my viewpoint, it is evident that China has embraced a revisionist stance, normalising its militarization within the SCS. This escalating situation underscores the urgent need for strategies to mitigate escalation dominance—a significant oversight in Brophy's narrative and a missed opportunity to delve into solutions for one of the region's most volatile concerns.
 

Brophy’s critical stance on Australia's foreign policy at times hints at a dissonance with Australian values, a perspective that simplifies a complex issue. China understands hard power extremely well, but less so soft power. Yet, disengagement from national security matters is not a viable option, in my view. The region is filled with contested and shared spaces where constructive, middle-ground dialogue is imperative—not only to avoid fueling conflict but also to cooperatively tackle shared challenges like healthcare, environmental sustainability, and the pervasive threat of transnational criminal networks, all exacerbated by corruption and investment politics within the region. Confidence-building matters through soft power engagement with China, which I believe should feature in the alternative approach advocated by the author.


Occasionally, Brophy’s tone could be misconstrued as sympathising with China, potentially diluting the book’s potent message. Perhaps unintended, this aspect could obscure the nuanced debate Brophy intends to present. His insights, though valuable, are sometimes lost in the density of his prose and an incomplete framework for practical engagement with China.
 

In summary, while "China Panic" initiates an essential dialogue on the complexities of China-Australia relations, I feel it stops short of providing the strategic insights needed for Australia to navigate its intricate relationship with China effectively. The book sets the stage for a crucial discussion but leaves me, the reader, seeking a more actionable guide amidst the growing geopolitical challenges.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a historian of Uyghur nationalism he is, as you might expect, critical of Chinese policies in Xinjiang. As one of the convenors of the ‘Let’s Talk about Hong Kong’ Chinese-language forum at the University of Sydney, he is committed to providing a platform for debate and exchange amongst Chinese citizens in Australia themselves. However, he points out that Australia and America (in particular) hold China to international standards that they themselves hypocritically sidestep when it suits their purposes. In matters of undue political influence or academic freedom in Australia, he notes that curbs and oversight of these matters for all countries, not just China, would be of benefit to Australia’s democracy. He argues that the move to the Right in contemporary responses to China in Australia’s politics will only provoke a similarly nationalistic response from China. He suggests that instead, we need to live up to our profession of universal values and to strengthen our own democracy.

For my complete review, please visit:
https://residentjudge.com/2021/11/04/...

[Anthony Ablong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Commentary

Interesting and questionable quality authorship : not a passive view as observation but a divisive view that provokes ill feelings, for example, I was in HK when China agreed to the SRA. Yes, there were a few ratbags running around but the general citizens were dispassionate as ALL welcomed return to China when it belonged.

[Zeke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The central insight - that Australia’s policy towards China depends on what we want America to do - is one of those perfect ideas that seems absolutely obvious in retrospect but I’ve never seen properly articulated before reading this book.