ChinaToday
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2011
- Messages
- 4,557
- Reaction score
- -2
- Country
- Location
SYDNEYAustralia has sent the clearest signal yet that it wants to deepen military ties with China, its biggest trading partner, risking strained relations with its longstanding ally the U.S.
The resource-rich country published a security paper on Friday that stressed the need to balance Canberra's strategic Washington relationship with a sober recognition of the shift eastward in global economic and military power.
The U.S. has historically struck a more adversarial tone with Beijingwhose regional ambitions, even now, it views with caution. And Australia's last strategic paper in 2009 positioned Beijing as more threat than ally. But more recently, the country has held several joint military exercises with China, as their economic and financial links deepen.
"China's rise and its subsequent military modernization is changing the strategic order of our region," Prime Minister Julia Gillard told reporters after the government published its defense white paper. "We have to be prepared."
China is the destination for about a quarter of Australia's exports, mostly raw materials such as coal and iron ore that have powered its economic growth in recent years. Last month, the nations signed a landmark currency deal that allows the Australian dollar and Chinese yuan to be directly converted for the first time--eliminating the need for companies and currency traders to translate into U.S. dollars first.
Australia's 21 years of uninterrupted annual economic growth has largely been fueled by China's voracious appetite for its industrial metals and other commodities. The growing closeness was underlined last year when a slowdown in China triggered a similar downturn in Australia's economy.
Ms. Gillard insisted Friday that closer ties with China wouldn't mean any weakening of Australia's historical relationship with the U.S. She suggested instead that Australia's new strategic positioning could help smooth tensions between Beijing and Washington.
"The U.S.-China relationship is pivotal to this region of the world," the prime minister said.
The three countries together have rarely had cozy relations. In 2011, Beijing expressed displeasure at Australia's allowing the U.S. to base 2,500 marines near Darwin in the far north of the country. The arrangement was part of Washington's "Asia pivot" strategya shift toward greater engagement in region of growing economic influence.
The U.S. remains troubled by China's activities, including most recently in the area of cybersecurity, also a concern for Australia.
The new strategic paper says rivalry between the U.S. and China is inevitable, but specifies that Australia doesn't view the latter as an adversary. Still, Ms. Gillard on Friday urged Beijing to be more open about its military modernizing.
Australia's shifting tone comes even after China's new president, Xi Jinping, announced plans to boost military might. Mr. Xi took the unusual step of visiting military bases soon after taking over the leadership in March. And as defense chief, the president hasn't shied away from provocative gestures in long-running disputes with neighbors over territory in the South China Sea.
The main opposition in Australia, the center-right Liberal Nationals, described the new defense white paper as "superficial." Opinion polls suggest the party, led by Tony Abbott, will easily win a general election scheduled for Sept. 14.
"We will redo this white paper," David Johnston, the shadow defense minister, told reporters on Friday.
Still, a sharp departure is unlikely even if Mr. Abbott's party wins, analysts said, given that Australia would still depend on China economically, as much as on its security alliance with the U.S.
"Australia has to develop positive relations with both the big powers and really would suffer if it put itself in a position where it had to choose between them," said Michael Wesley, an expert in Asian Pacific security at the Australia National University. "In many ways it is about engaging both of them and making clear our relationship with the other is non-negotiable."
Australia Gets Closer to China - WSJ.com
Not only Australia nearly all of nato want to get closer to china
The resource-rich country published a security paper on Friday that stressed the need to balance Canberra's strategic Washington relationship with a sober recognition of the shift eastward in global economic and military power.
The U.S. has historically struck a more adversarial tone with Beijingwhose regional ambitions, even now, it views with caution. And Australia's last strategic paper in 2009 positioned Beijing as more threat than ally. But more recently, the country has held several joint military exercises with China, as their economic and financial links deepen.
"China's rise and its subsequent military modernization is changing the strategic order of our region," Prime Minister Julia Gillard told reporters after the government published its defense white paper. "We have to be prepared."
China is the destination for about a quarter of Australia's exports, mostly raw materials such as coal and iron ore that have powered its economic growth in recent years. Last month, the nations signed a landmark currency deal that allows the Australian dollar and Chinese yuan to be directly converted for the first time--eliminating the need for companies and currency traders to translate into U.S. dollars first.
Australia's 21 years of uninterrupted annual economic growth has largely been fueled by China's voracious appetite for its industrial metals and other commodities. The growing closeness was underlined last year when a slowdown in China triggered a similar downturn in Australia's economy.
Ms. Gillard insisted Friday that closer ties with China wouldn't mean any weakening of Australia's historical relationship with the U.S. She suggested instead that Australia's new strategic positioning could help smooth tensions between Beijing and Washington.
"The U.S.-China relationship is pivotal to this region of the world," the prime minister said.
The three countries together have rarely had cozy relations. In 2011, Beijing expressed displeasure at Australia's allowing the U.S. to base 2,500 marines near Darwin in the far north of the country. The arrangement was part of Washington's "Asia pivot" strategya shift toward greater engagement in region of growing economic influence.
The U.S. remains troubled by China's activities, including most recently in the area of cybersecurity, also a concern for Australia.
The new strategic paper says rivalry between the U.S. and China is inevitable, but specifies that Australia doesn't view the latter as an adversary. Still, Ms. Gillard on Friday urged Beijing to be more open about its military modernizing.
Australia's shifting tone comes even after China's new president, Xi Jinping, announced plans to boost military might. Mr. Xi took the unusual step of visiting military bases soon after taking over the leadership in March. And as defense chief, the president hasn't shied away from provocative gestures in long-running disputes with neighbors over territory in the South China Sea.
The main opposition in Australia, the center-right Liberal Nationals, described the new defense white paper as "superficial." Opinion polls suggest the party, led by Tony Abbott, will easily win a general election scheduled for Sept. 14.
"We will redo this white paper," David Johnston, the shadow defense minister, told reporters on Friday.
Still, a sharp departure is unlikely even if Mr. Abbott's party wins, analysts said, given that Australia would still depend on China economically, as much as on its security alliance with the U.S.
"Australia has to develop positive relations with both the big powers and really would suffer if it put itself in a position where it had to choose between them," said Michael Wesley, an expert in Asian Pacific security at the Australia National University. "In many ways it is about engaging both of them and making clear our relationship with the other is non-negotiable."
Australia Gets Closer to China - WSJ.com
Not only Australia nearly all of nato want to get closer to china
