While the Australia Day holiday this weekend is traditionally a
time for cricket, beer and barbecues, the Australian Chamber of
Commerce in Beijing is hosting a decidedly more sophisticated
celebration for expatriates in the Chinese capital.
Austcham is holding the "Gold and Glamorous Ball" tomorrow, a
charity event coinciding with Australia's national holiday on
January 26.
Australia's expat population in the Middle Kingdom is estimated
to number between 12,000 to 15,000, and Austcham has branches in
Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. The Shanghai and
Yangtze River Delta region are home to the largest concentration of
Aussies, an estimated 5,500, with the Beijing area not far
behind.
Australia is an island continent of sparkling coastlines and an
arid center, covering a land area of 2.9 million sq m and hosting a
multicultural society of 20.4 million people. The country's capital
city is Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory, while Sydney
is the largest city, with a population of 4.2 million. Located in
the state of New South Wales, Sydney is Australia's most
cosmopolitan city and home to World Heritage sites including the
famous Sydney Opera House. It also hosted the Olympic Games in
2000.
Chinese immigration to Australia has a long history, and the
relationship between the two countries is regarded as one of the
most important by the Australian government, according to the
website of the Australian Embassy in China.
Diplomatic relations between the two nations stretch back more
than 30 years, with two-way trade growing at an average of around
20 percent over the past five years. Chinese President Hu Jintao
visited Australia in 2003 and 2007, and Premier Wen Jiabao visited
Australia in 2003.
In November 2007, the Labor Party's Putonghua-speaking Kevin
Rudd won the office of Australian Prime Minister, defeating John
Howard who served a record four terms. Rudd campaigned on a
platform for change, and promised to focus on the environment,
education and healthcare.
Australia's first inhabitants were the Aborigines, who migrated
40,000 years ago from Southeast Asia. Today, about 350,000
Aborigines live in Australia.
The Commonwealth of Australia was created in 1901 when the
former British colonies became a federation of six states.
Government is based on a popularly elected Parliament with two
chambers, the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Although Australia is an independent nation, Queen Elizabeth II
of Great Britain is also formally Queen of Australia. The Queen is
represented by a governor-general, who is appointed on the advice
of the Australian government.
Nearly 6 million people are expected to flock to official events
around the country to mark Australia Day this weekend, while many
more will enjoy the public holiday with friends and family.
"For some the commemorative day also sparks mixed emotions. Many
Aboriginal Australians, conscious of their loss of country and
culture, celebrate their survival in the face of continuing
challenges," says Warren Pearson, National Director of the National
Australia Day Council.
?(China Daily by Viva Goldner January 25,
2008)
