Australians rightly embrace ethnic diversity, yet concern about immigration is justified

It is precisely the Chinese migration story which now provides Australia with an opportunity to promote leadership through a progressive sense of universal values that is not racist as the real enemy is the CCP and not the Chinese contribution to Australia and humanity.

As one Chinese Australian suggests, with most Chinese Australians also concerned about foreign interference (including from China) and supporting legislation that protects Australia's way of life and national interest, Australian governments should "involve Chinese Australians at the highest level to help reset and redefine bilateral ties" rather than "assuming that some Chinese Australians are agents of influence secretly in thrall to Beijing".

Such an approach would help avoid the previous sentiment by elite Chinese Australians abandoning their earlier hopes of inter-ethnic "equality" and "liberalism" in Australia when they turned to racial nationalism following Australia's anti-Chinese legislation which saw the rapid decline of the Chinese-born population from 29,000 in 1901 to 6,000 by 1947.

Hence, while the CCP endeavours to use the Chinese diaspora abroad "to do Beijing's bidding" by organising "hundreds of faux community or friendship or patriotic associations", while even threatening harm to families if they do not contribute to the CCP effort to obtain any desirable information (including scientific, technological or military), Australian governments must take every measure to protect its own values and Chinese people who embrace Australia.

This is already evident in Australia with the Morrison government rightly exploring alternative pathways to residency for people in Hong Kong under threat by the CCP crackdown on its freedoms, and Australians being made aware through media reports that several Hong Kong students in Australia had been pressured by Chinese loyal to the CCP through death threats, having their address and personal information disclosed in WeChat (social media for Chinese people), and being followed home by Chinese nationals who ignored police warnings to leave.

Of course, with Australia now facing a likely future with considerable economic and security difficulties, compounded today by the coronavirus epidemic and an increasingly aggressive CCP, we all have a responsibility to make our society work. This may include Australians doing much more to fill employment vacancies rather than relying on immigration, Australian governments doing much more to promote employment and housing opportunities for Australians, and Australia putting some limit on foreign ownership levels (regardless of where the foreign buyer comes from).

Australian governments cannot simply rely on opinion polls that suggest all is well with Australia's acceptance of ethnic diversity, and use this tolerance to take easy economic policy options that rely greatly on immigration for our economic growth and future social needs.

For instance, 2019 research (Breen and Birrell) suggests that international medical students may be denying Australian born their opportunities given that over 600 international medical students are now enrolled at Australian medical schools each year (a 242% increase since 1994) compared with approximately 3200 local students.

Breen and Birrell reveal that many universities have charged international medical students around $80,000 per year for their medical education, while receiving an average $32,912 for each domestic student ($22,472 from government and $10,440 from the student), and that most international student graduates will obtain permanent residence. This is in line with student surveys which indicate that the majority of such international students seek to live in Australia permanently with a government workforce planning committee also assuming that 70% will remain here.

To conclude, yes Australians can be proud of living in a relatively successful multi-ethnic nation, one where all cultures are respected and protected by law, but there is always a need for an appropriate policy mix that also addresses Australian employment, industry and cultural needs.