We'll Get Back To You On That

Christian Science Monitor (07.21.05):

"President Bush has repeatedly called Australia one of America's staunchest allies and its Prime Minister John Howard a 'good friend.' While the two continue to agree about Iraq and the need to be vigilant about terrorism, a noticeable split has occurred over China." Australia sidesteps US on China

"The US...sees China as a future military rival." "Australia, on the other hand, is much closer in proximity to China than to the US, and sees China as an untapped market that is poised to be developed." "Bloomberg reported Wednesday that Australia's exports to China have more than doubled in the past five years as China's own economy has expanded. Australia's currency has also gained 3.4 percent in the past year." Bloomberg also notes that China is "Australia's second-biggest export market", and that about "9 percent of all Australia's overseas shipments go to China." The Monitor quotes Aussie Prime Minister John Howard in the Melbourne Age:

"'The economic relationship between Australia and China is different from the economic relationship between the United States and China,' he said. 'We have a good relationship with China. It's not just based on economic opportunity; there are a lot of people-to-people ties between Australia and China, and they're growing all the time.'" Bush presses PM on rights in China

Which some may construe as Howard telling Bush to mind his own damned business.