By Bonnie S. Glaser and Jack Georgieff
The release of the Australian Defense White Paper (DWP) has attracted much international attention and commentary. Some analysts have noted the more conciliatory language on China compared with the 2009 DWP. While there is some truth to this claim, there is no basis to argue that the positions taken on China in the new DWP are too “soft” or that they suggest a disconnect between Canberra and Washington. The DWP’s references to the possibility that hostile powers might employ coercion or intimidation in the Indo-Pacific zone or that miscalculation could result in rising tensions in the South China Sea are undoubtedly said with China in mind. Moreover, the similarity of the DWP’s language on China and that used by the Obama administration is quite striking.
For example, the DWP stated (PDF) that “Australia welcomes China’s rise,” and that “its policy is aimed at encouraging China’s peaceful rise.” When Hu Jintao visited the White House in January 2011, President Obama stated at a joint press conference that “We welcome China’s rise.” In February 2012 he told visiting Xi Jinping that he welcomed China’s peaceful rise and said he believed that “a strong and prosperous China is one that can help to bring stability and prosperity to the region and to the world.” U.S. officials have repeatedly stated that the rebalancing to Asia strategy is not aimed at curtailing China’s rise.
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