May God bless Australia? Eric Ng(eric_nht@hotmail.com) With his Mandarin proficiency and comprehensive understanding on Asian Affairs, Kevin Rudd, the newly elected Australian prime minister, seems enjoying a strong popularity among Asian Countries especially in China, a specious strategic partners of the US. The grace delivered to other Asian counterparts has aroused the curiosity of the media towards the intentions for Kevin Rudd’s Asian foreign policy. Recently, Kevin Rudd has delivered a speech in advocating the establishment of Asia Union, a super-national, not international, organization in Asia with a similar structure of European Union. The aim of the recommendation is to develop a pan-Asian organization coordinating the political power of Asian countries with a view to counter-balancing the influence of the US and EU in the long term. Seemingly mutually beneficial advocacy, however, awakens the suspicion from other Asian nations in term of sovereignty. The concept of European Union was an invention in response to the international environment after World War II with the political threat from the USSR. With continuous compromises and co ordinations, the European countries have established international institutions and organizations from Common Market to European Union, a trial of “super-nationally” political organization. One of the major characteristics of European Union is power sharing. European Union actually performs an official mechanism to control partial sovereignty of member countries. The policy formulated by EU will have a leading influence to the members. Member countries have the responsibility to adopt the policy. In other word, EU is a super-national organization with a clear authority mechanism directing the top-to-down relationship from EU to member countries. This, however, is not of the vest interest of Asian countries. Due to the historical colonial history of these countries, they, normally, are reluctant to “share” power and authority. Moreover, the vast difference of economic development among Asian countries and the cultural difference ranging from Australia to China and from South East Asia to East Asia. Australia has faced a dilemma in its diplomatic direction. Whether Australia should be the US partner or the member of “pan-Asian” region has been the conflict of Kelvin Rudd. Thanks to the geographical advantage of Asia and the vibrant economic development of Asia, Australia is believed to be “pushed” to the Asia sides inevitably in the foreseeable future. However, Kelvin Rudd may ask if this tendency will be beneficial to Australia? Probably, Jehanne’d Arc’s famous word can respond to him. 'If I am not, may God put me there; and if I am, may God so keep me’ Yes! If Australia cannot benefit, may God put him there and if Australia can benefit, may God so keep him. | 
