Breathing Life into the Asian Century White Paper

"Whatever else this century brings along, it will bring Asia's rise".

When the government released the Australia in the Asian Century White Paper last year, it set 25 key objectives to help Australia tap into the Asian opportunity by 2025.

Amid the volume of commentary the paper attracted was questioning on exactly how those objectives would be achieved.

That's that makes the recent announcement of a new Implementation Plan so important, even though the news was barely noticed in the noise surrounding the Prime Minister's April visit to China, where she struck a historic 'strategic partnership' deal with Chinese premier Li Kequiang.

The two events are not unconnected. Both the strategic partnership (which has locked in annual leadership talks and ministerial discussions between Australia and China) and the Implementation Plan are proof that the White Paper is beginning to flesh out its promises, and has become an important diplomatic tool into the bargain.