AUSTRALIA

The Age (www.theage.com.au) says concerns about the prospect of young people in jeans joining Anzac Day marches to honour Australia's war dead are misplaced.

"The Returned Services League reportedly is worried that parents with prams and children with dirty jeans are detracting from the dignity of the march, and this year RSL branches across the country have introduced new rules to maintain decorum. In Melbourne, only one descendant will be allowed per veteran; in New South Wales descendants must march in an allocated group; and in Queensland and South Australia the descendants of living veterans must march at the rear. It may fairly be asked whether the enthusiasm of young descendants, especially, will wither if this attitude of censure and segregation continues, and whether the revived Anzac Day attendances of recent years will survive it.

"How different the rancour over the prospect of young people in jeans marching to Australia's war memorials seems from what is happening in northern France, where the bodies of some Australian soldiers of the first AIF have been exhumed near Fromelles. It is one of Australia's most significant battlefields: 1900 men died and another 3100 were wounded or went missing there on June 19, 1916, the bloodiest 24 hours in Australian military history. The toll equals Australia's combined casualty lists from the Boer, Korean and Vietnam wars....

"Veterans' leaders are right to be concerned about the dignity of Anzac Day commemorations, but this year they should also remember that it is the descendants, direct or indirect, of the Fromelles Diggers who in a very material way are restoring dignity to these fallen soldiers.

"The RSL should relax its strictures on marching descendants, for they are Anzac Day's future."

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BANGLADESH

As Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits Beijing, The New Age (www.newagebd.com) says Bangladesh needs stronger ties with China but also needs to get its China to address the huge trade imbalance between the two countries.

"Hasina's visit comes at a time of certain obvious geo-strategic shifts at the regional and international levels. India has recently aligned itself with the United States-led global war on terror and has, by dint of such alignment, sought to project itself as the regional hegemon, something that has obviously not gone down well with China, which not only has its own issues with India but has also come to be a political, economic and military force to be reckoned with....

"Of course, Bangladesh needs to maintain a strong relationship with China, particularly to balance its relation with India. However, the basis of such relationships needs to be mutual respect and benefit. Dhaka has a number of issues that it needs to resolve with China. For example, bilateral trade is heavily tilted in favour of China, with the trade deficit currently at $3.5 billion. Hasina thus needs to persuade the Chinese leadership into effectively addressing the huge trade imbalance....

"As indicated before, for the current geopolitical and geo-strategic reality, Bangladesh needs China's friendship. Moreover, China could contribute significantly towards resolution of the disputes that Bangladesh has with Myanmar, i.e. demarcation of the maritime boundary and repatriation of the Rohingya refugees. However, the compulsion to maintain a healthy relationship with China need not translate into the Hasina government's pursuit of an appeasement policy that essentially undermines the country's interest - political, economic or otherwise. Hence, during her visit, the prime minister needs to push for continuation of Bangladesh's good relations with China on the basis of mutual respect and benefit."

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HONG KONG

The South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com) says Hong Kong needs a proper policy to preserve its heritage following a last-minute about-face by the authorities after a public outcry over plans to demolish a street of some of the city's last remaining 1950s tenement buildings which featured in an award-winning film.

"No explanation for the about-face was given, but it came amid public pressure that had been stoked by a film set in the street winning an award in Europe last month. As welcome as the reversal is, the manner in which it has been presented is disappointing; clearly, political expediency rather than established principle-based policies are still driving heritage preservation in Hong Kong.

"Government officials claim to have changed their ways. The protests over the demolition of the Star Ferry and Queen's piers in 2008 told them that public attitudes to the approach of development at all costs had evolved. There has been a welcome shift in the government's approach, with greater consultation and the publication of a list of buildings and places that have been determined to be worthy of preservation. But for all the expressions of a willingness to develop with community needs in mind, the Wing Lee Street case shows that a fundamental problem remains.

"There is nowhere else like Wing Lee Street in our city. It is lined with tenements and while they are not architecturally striking or all in good condition, the ambience cannot be found elsewhere. They are without doubt worth restoring and keeping....

"Saving the street is good for Hong Kong. But if authorities had a firm heritage policy, it should never have been considered for redevelopment as the two adjoining areas still are. A prize-winning film has prompted a knee-jerk reaction and about-face. Preservation of history and historic memory must be based on a clear, transparent and well-defined approach. Despite pledges, it is still being determined on a piecemeal and disjointed basis. This has to change."

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