Limits to Asian & western integration.

The characterization of Australia’s PM John Howard [ Japan Times 7/04/05] was unfair considering the inherent philosophical differences between Asia and the West. Yet Howard has remained engaging, placing a higher value on mutual trade. He has had several triumphs in Asia – FTAs with Thailand and Singapore. A healthy Aust-US relationship is only contentious if Asia is opposed to the values of personal freedom which underpin it. Seldom do Asian leaders state their political views, but their countries at least have institutions intended to preserve personal liberties (eg. Courts), although clearly the Asian population is still reluctant to use them. Personal experience suggest coercion still undermines ‘rule of law’ in even the most modern of Asian countries (Japan). Others might rationalize that Japan has fewer lawyers per capita because they choose to settle grievances peacefully. But that’s code for subjugation (ie. voluntary or self abuse). I’m hard-pressed to think of an Asian leader who has tried harder than Howard to build relationships. Every time Howard attempts to join ASEAN, he is rebuked by ‘recalcitrant’ Malaysia. Not signing the ASEAN’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation reflects the differences in values – at least at root - between Australia (pro-individual rights) and ASEAN (pro-collective ‘rights’). Since Japan, China and India are collectivist, its not surprising that they supported the initiative, whilst the US, Britain, Canada (pro-individualist countries) were politely indifferent to it. What would such an agreement achieve? Authoritarian regimes don’t respect rights. Eg. Indonesian PM Soeharto for example. Regardless, Howard is a second-rate leader, but what do you expect from ANY democracy, when reason is subjugated behind popularity, numbers, dogma, misrepresentation, context-dropping and evasion. Nevertheless his foreign policies have been principled and thoughtful. His only significant failing in Asia was not using the East Timorese intervention as a tool for redressing long-standing civil unrest in Indonesia. Clearly his advisors in the Dept of Foreign Affairs missed the bigger picture. There is no question that both Asia and the West need to change – it starts with political integrity (reason).

This letter as far as I'm aware has yet to get editorial approval.