Australia¡¦s Region and Global Linkages
Australia¡¦s Region and Global Linkages
INTRODUCTION
¡§Australia¡¦s location is in both the southern and eastern hemispheres; consequently she has developed close regional linkages with her near neighbours in these areas. Yet at the same she has pursued deliberate policies in the creation of linkages much further a field than just South East Asia and the near Pacific Rim.¡¨
To illustrate the accuracy of the above statement, this discussion will focus on three main linkages:
„« trade and finance
„« tourism
„« defence
The areas to be covered in the discussion will be:
„« The spatial location of Australia¡¦s regional and global linkages
„« A clear demonstration of the need for these linkages.
„« An outline of what Australia¡¦s role in the global community is.
Firstly, a general spatial location of Australia¡¦s regional and global linkages will be established.
SPATIAL LOCATION
Australia¡¦s major linkages can be found both regionally ¡V concerning the Asia-Pacific area, and globally ¡Vlocated outside the proximity of Australia.
Regional Links: This includes South East Asia and the near Pacific Rim; countries of the greatest importance to Australia are our Asian neighbours Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and Indonesia. Also New Zealand and P.N.G and the islands of the Pacific Ocean have equal significance. Spatially the chief pattern or relationship these countries share is an access to the Pacific Ocean which connects them to Australia. Because of Australia¡¦s geographical closeness to these countries and only boundary being the ocean, relations and linkages such as trade or tourism can be made especially easy.
Global Links: These linkages can be found in Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and the Russian Federation. Geographically the spatial location of such linkages like defence and political relations, are very far from Australia; routes between such linkages usually cross large land masses and ocean. In relation to regional linkages global linkages can be an inconvenience as they are much further, slower and do not share common oceans.
TRADE AND FINANCE
Australia is the fourth largest economy in the Asia Pacific region following Japan, China and Korea. It is only natural that Australia is a significant investor and successful trader in the region. Over fifty per cent of Australia¡¦s trade is with Asia ¡V a continent abundant with valuable export, and requiring a variety of imports. Australia is one of the leading exporters of commodities ¡V in particular, minerals, energy and agricultural goods; in comparison Australia imports a large amount of manufactured goods such as computer components and automobiles. Due to improvements in transport and communications technologies the pattern of Australia¡¦s trade is changing. Mining and agricultural production (primary production) continue to make up the bulk of merchandise exports, accounting for 62 per cent of the total in 2000¡V01. However, the significance of primary production is greatly lessened as the necesity for service-based exports has become far more important in recent years.
The direction of Australian¡¦s trade has also changed significantly. Most of Australia¡¦s early [next page]