By Nicholas Khoo & David Martin Jones
During his recent visit to China, Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr indicated the two countries were close to agreement on holding annual ministerial leadership talks. This is a positive development – dialogue is always welcome, especially considering the economic links China and Australia have built over the last decade or so.
However, it’s important to recognize a basic disagreement between Canberra and Beijing that no amount of talking can overcome. During Carr’s visit, the Chinese made it very clear their view that the Australian-U.S. alliance – the bedrock of Australian security since the 1950’s – is a relic of the Cold War.
This couldn’t be more wrong. The alliance is a crucial stabilizing feature in a region characterized by multiple sources of instability, of which China is an important source. The alliance needs to be strengthened, not dispensed with. Such a development is in the interests of the overwhelming majority of states in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Asia-Pacific is an increasingly rich, but far from stable region. The sources of instability are many, and China is a central actor in the story.
Read the full story at The Diplomat