kimiik

August 12, 2008, 03:47 PM

- First point : the expression "asia-literate" doesn't make any sense to me

- Second point : Australia is not a western country (except if you had a british education)

- Third point : Australia is not an Asian country either (ask the members of the ASEAN)

elliot

September 15, 2008, 04:39 PM

Kimiik, I am genuinely interested as to where Australia fits in then from your point of view?

Sweetpawpaw, I certainly think that Australia has to make up for the neglect of the last federal Liberal government in this area, they didn't seem to carry on the good work of Keating to build stronger links with Asia but showed more concerned with the US. It's important for us to do that and the trick will be to integrate with Asia without losing our unique identity. Will be interesting to see what happens. I think that Rudd has a good goal here and it feels like a good long term strategy. When I was in school we could only choose to do French, German and if you were lucky Japanese.

kimiik

September 15, 2008, 05:29 PM

Elliot,

Australia is a continent itself.

But in France, we also consider that Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and many islands from the Pacific Ocean are in a group called Oceania, which sounds sooooo romantic btw. ;o)

 

 

bababardwan

September 15, 2008, 09:00 PM

I agree with elliot.Geographically Australia is a continent and also part of Oceania.Geographically we are also closer to Asia and not close to the West.However,culturally and historically we have always considered ourselves part of Western society.I also agree that Rudd's goal of making Australia the most Asian literate country in the west is a good one.But thanks kimiik;great to have insight on how others view our place in the world,and very nice to be thought of as a romantic region.

kdombros

April 16, 2009, 05:26 AM

People in China always tell me that NZ is part of 澳洲

(For a long time I thought they were saying 欧洲 and would protest.)

So clearly at least in Chinese Australia is a continent. But culturally we are 'Western' in that we draw on a long tradition of Western history from Greek and Roman times through to today -- and we aren't Eastern (culturally -- though we are geographically!), without denying that there are some major differences between Aussie, European, North American and UK　cultures.

I don't mind people referring to me as  西方人although I　normally stress that my experience is limited to Australia and NZ, and correct any stereotypes they plant on me that are actually American.