We perhaps need some sensitivity internationally

Comments on Robert Gottliebsen “Building bridges with China”, 1/09/2009, http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Fall-in-Chinese-stocks-pd20090901-VFSMS?OpenDocument&src=sph

While it is important to hold up our own values, we need to be a little more sensitive to other countries' views and their problems or potential problems. Unfortunately, Rudd appeared to have either underestimated China’s tolerance to some sensitive issues or overestimated the goodwill he has had with the Chinese.

In terms of human rights issues, we haven't got a correct understanding or a full picture of the situations in China. The attitudes of our politicians are superficial and shallow at the best. Fundamentally, it is highly unlikely to be a racial issue or a religious issue as we often thought, although it is easy for us to put it in that way.

China has many so called “mass incidents” each year, perhaps counted in hundreds or thousands, where either race or religions are featured or involved are tiny and negligible. So from that for reporters or journalists to isolate them as racial or religious problems is far-reaching to an unbelievable degree. But what we see the most are those so called racial or religious related events, in China for example.