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Australia says it could follow Canada in forging deeper ties with EU

254 points · 216 comments · doener

  1. FlowingRiver · · focus · HN ↗
    It is an interesting position we are in here, I suspect we will do the usual thing and walk the middle road. Australia, is part of the Commonwealth, huge trade partner with Asia and allies with the US. Why not throw Canada into the mix some more.

    This setup is why I call this place an equal opportunist whore. If we can do business with you, we will. I also call it the worlds largest Mining town, but that just acknowledging the reality of the place a little.

    As much as many are going against the US, I don't think there is much constitution at the top here to make such a bold move. We will just be pottering around down here hoping all the bad stuff passes us by as nobody notices us.

    1. bGl2YW5j · · focus · HN ↗
      I'm Australian and am increasingly ok with this approach. I'm growing slowly out of a protectionist mindset, toward one of cautious, and considered collaboration. Singapore follows this approach and it has worked well for them so far.
      1. BLKNSLVR · · focus · HN ↗
        I've never really understood the protectionist mindset. It kinda only makes sense to me as a fading shadow of WWII paranoia. The invasion of Australia by a foreign adversary has never been something I've worried about (but, maybe, that's _because_ of the alignment with the US). I've also struggled with the practical logistics of it.
        1. marcus_holmes · · focus · HN ↗
          100%. The only conceivable threat of invasion would be China, and they can just buy Australian resources [0] for far cheaper than it would cost them to invade us.

          I don't understand who the cookers think we're defending against.

          [0] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;shunculture.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;what-australian-companies-are-chinese-owned" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;shunculture.com&#x2F;article&#x2F;what-australian-companies-ar... it&#x27;s about 2% in 2025

          1. FlowingRiver · · focus · HN ↗
            It is said that if you are resource rich it is best to sell your resources to others than to hoard them even if you sell them basically at cost.

            It is better to have an economic alliance than a potential enemy.

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