Australia's Asian focus

Australia's Asian century white paper, released on Sunday, has sent an unmistakable message to the outside world that it wants to shift away from the "old countries" of Europe toward broader and deeper engagement with its neighbors in Asia, especially China and India.

Given Asia's rising significance in the world's economic and security landscape, it is no surprise that the biggest country in the Southern Hemisphere seeks to benefit more from Asia's economic and social progress. In fact, Canberra has increasingly sought to identify itself as a member of the Asian club in recent years.

As the white paper highlights the scale and pace of Asia's transformation are unprecedented and the implications are profound, not just for Australia.