The Olympic Torch Relay at Canberra

I just witnessed the Olympic Torch relay at Canberra. (I just made it, after having a quick Thursday meeting with my supervisor - Peter Strazdins).

All were anticipating a pro-Tibetan protest during the relay. But what happened was a wave of pro-china supporters. Virtually, Canberra was in Red. Every were red Chinese flags - waved by the "Chinese students". That's what they said - students! But it appeared that there was a very systematic effort behind it - most probably orchestrated by Chinese authorities. I am a student for 3+ years in Australia. All the time with the majority of Chinese students. I never witnessed such a kind of nationalistic feeling among the Chinese students. Most of them do not know about the international politics or even their internal affairs. If they have to come in large numbers like this (nearly 5 - 6 thousands), there should be some magic!

Australia was really intimidated by the "soft-power" of China. When I was with the crowd I could feel it very clearly. They was not in favor, but felt the pressure to defy it.

When Dalai Lama comes to Australia, they flock around him in thousands. But when it matters to their "dollars" (China is their largest trade-partner), they simply keep quite - unlike many other Western countries. Reasons are quite evident: they are really small and geographically very near to China. They are the first one to be tamed by the Chinese. That's been done.

Tail piece: Australia under Mandarin speaking Kevin Rudd is keeping a great distance from India - may be under the influence of China (or India's previous adherence to Howard ministry). He is not in the good book of US too. We could even expect a rift within the Asia-Pacefic solution between Aus, US and Japan. It may depend upon how India closes in to US.

Support Tibet, but India and China should be Bhai-Bhai!

Proud to be an Indian which is the home of Tibetan Exile Government and Dalai Lama. Tibetans should be grateful for what India is doing to them (nearly a million of them in India). I dont think, they want to push India into any kind of trouble with China.

Commonsense suggest that we dont want to make China unhappy either. As neighbours and the emerging world powers, India and China should come closer and work together for the betterment of both civilizations. It will be the perfect Eastern block against the West. But China should have the wisdom to understand that. So also India.

Tibetans should continue to receive the hospitality from India but their issue has to be sorted out with China by themselves or with the help of other world powers (after all we are doing the best in the world to Tibetans by giving them asylum. The Tibetan Government in exile runs from Indian soil. We practice what others even fear to preach. So, let others do the rest)