Publisher's Synopsis
Australia is seeking to become a part of Asia and to join in Asia's economic success, but in order to do this Michael Byrnes believes that Australia must know how Asia thinks and operates. Australia and the Asia Game is written to open Australia's eyes to the realties of Asia's economic and political power games.
Simple 'hard work' is not the key to Asia's economic success - Australians may work just as hard but to less effect. Asian and Australian attitudes are in opposition and conflict: Asia's ways enhance economic performance while Australia's do not. Asian countries use their organisation not only to run their internal affairs, but to determine how negotiations with outsiders might develop. This leads to a tactical advantage in relations with Australia, a winning Asian game which is repeated in many seemingly unconnected areas, from Japan's coal trade with Australia to the Indonesian government's castigation of the Australian press.
Australia and the Asia Game goes beyond political platitudes to examine reality and opportunity in Australia's place in Asia, and in doing so it reveals the essence of a game so simple that it touches the human core of life in every nation of this region.
