Forty-Five Years of Australia-China Relations(1972-2017)

本文分析了1972年12月中澳建交至2017年12月45年间的两国关系,主要涉及政治、经济、文化教育三个方面。两国关系从敌对到友好发生了巨大的变化,尤其是在经济和文化教育领域。尽管总体上发展良好,但是两国关系也不时出现波折和问题。影响两国关系的主要因素是对于中澳两国都很重要的第三国美国,尤其是签署于1951年9月的《澳新美安全条约》,迄今仍然是澳大利亚外交政策的基石。完全废除《澳新美安全条约》很困难,但是当今形势与1951年相比发生了很大变化。随着中澳关系的发展,中国已成为澳大利亚最大的贸易伙伴,《澳新美安全条约》的作用应该大大地淡化。尽管2017年两国关系出现了波折,本文对于两国关系的前景仍表示乐观。两国经贸关系和文化交流不断扩大,两国不存在根本性的利益冲突。

This article analyses Australia-China relations over the forty-five years from the establishment of diplomatic relations in December 1972 to December 2017.It looks at three broad areas:politico-strategic,economic and educational and cultural relations.It sees a gigantic shift from hostile to friendly,especially in economic and educational/cultural relations.Despite this overwhelmingly positive big picture,there have also been a few downturns,including in 2017,and a couple of problems.The main problems are due to the third main country for both Australia and China,namely the United States,and in particular,the ANZUS Treaty of September 1951,a security alliance involving Australia,New Zealand and the United States,which is still the cornerstone of Australias foreign policy.The situation in 1951,when the Korean War saw Chinese and Australian troops fighting on opposite sides,has changed entirely to see China and Australia as friendly and China as Australias largest trading partner by far.While it would be difficult actually to abrogate ANZUS,it should be drastically downgraded in importance,with Australia turning more towards China.The article is optimistic about the future,despite the downturn of2017,because of the still expanding trade and economic and cultural relations and the lack of fundamentally contradictory interests.