Asian insight

Bruce Maxwell’s wide-ranging tome, “China Media Australia Exotic Seas: A Recent History Of Us”, spans the past 100+ years of Chinese and Australian affairs, and deals in detail with the Southeast Asian countries in between, particularly the Malay, Indian and Arab seafarers who traded in these waters.

The world’s two largest archipelagos, Indonesia and the Philippines, are in focus, as are maritime developments in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Two chapters cover his experiences during 100 voyages across the South China Sea, from sailing, fishing and exploring remote reefs to considering present-day stand-offs between China and the Philippines over a dozen isolated Spratly Islands.

Starting his career at The Sydney Morning Herald, Bruce became involved in sailing through covering the voyages and exploits of proponents such as Sir Francis Chichester, Sir Alec Rose, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston and Sir Chay Blyth.