ORIGINAL PAPER
Australia and China: Friends or Foes? Implications for Security in the Indo-Pacific Region
 
More details
Hide details
1
Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie
 
 
Submission date: 2023-04-30
 
 
Final revision date: 2024-01-26
 
 
Acceptance date: 2024-04-15
 
 
Publication date: 2024-06-27
 
 
Corresponding author
Monika Magdalena Krukowska   

Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie
 
 
JoMS 2024;56(2):357-370
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Objectives:
The research aims to delineate and explain the state of bilateral relations between Australia and China in the context of the stability of the Indo-Pacific region.

Material and methods:
The main tools used to achieve the objectives mentioned above include a literature analysis, statements, diplomatic and quantitative data from governmental sites, and logical reasoning.

Results:
Reliable and balanced bilateral relations between the People’s Republic of China, the largest regional power, and Australia, the most influential Western outpost in the Indo-Pacific, are sine qua non condition of stability in the region. However, within the last decade, there was far too much uncertainty and malevolence between the two parties to pass unnoticed: trade and investment restrictions on Chinese companies, not to mention political tensions due to unprecedented Chinese interference in Australia’s domestic affairs. The article analyzes bilateral Sino-Australian relations, including political, economic, and social dimensions, in the context of regional security issues.

Conclusions:
Relations between China and Australia are underpinned by their strong economic interdependence and Australia’s security alliance with the U.S. While concerns over trade tensions may soon be over, Australia needs to accommodate the reality of China’s more active presence in the Indo-Pacific region.

 
REFERENCES (49)
1.
Anderson, C., Nugent, K., & Peterson, C. (2021). Academic Journal Retractions and the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 12, 21501327211015590. https://doi.org/10.1177/215013....
 
2.
Anwar, D. F. (2019). Indonesia-China Relations: Coming Full Circle? Southeast Asian Affairs, 145–162.
 
3.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021a). 2021 Australia Census QuickStats. https://www.abs.gov.au/census/....
 
4.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2021b). Overseas Travel Statistics. https://www.abs.gov.au/statist....
 
5.
Australian Government. (2022). China–Australia Free Trade Agreement. Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. https://www.dfat.gov.au/trade/....
 
6.
Australian Government. (2023a). Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme. Attorney-General’s Department. https://www.ag.gov.au/integrit....
 
7.
Australian Government. (2023b). International student numbers by country, by state and territory. Department of Education. https://www.education.gov.au/i....
 
8.
Cabestan, J.-P. (2010). La politique internationale de la Chine. Presses de la Fondation nationale des sciences politiques.
 
9.
Cole, B. D. (2016). China’s Quest for Great Power: Ships, Oil, and Foreign Policy. Naval Institute Press.
 
10.
deLisle, J., & Goldstein, A. (Eds.). (2017). China’s Global Engagement: Cooperation, Competition, and Influence in the 21st Century. Brookings Institution Press.
 
11.
Dittmer, L., & Yu, G. T. (Eds.). (2010). China, the Developing World, and the New Global Dynamic. Lynne Rienner Pub.
 
12.
Dolven, B., Campbell, C., & O’Rourke, R. (2022). China Primer: South China Sea Disputes (IF 10607). https://crsreports.congress.go....
 
13.
Economist Intelligence Unit. (2021). Pacific islands remain key beneficiaries of ANZ aid. https://country.eiu.com/articl....
 
14.
Economy, E. C. (2018). The Third Revolution: Xi Jinping and the New Chinese State. Oxford University Press.
 
15.
Fernando, J. O. (2020). China’s Belt and Road Initiative in the Philippines. East-West Center. https://www.jstor.org/stable/r....
 
16.
Financial Times. (2021). Xinjiang sanctions are sign of western resolve on China. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/bb8....
 
17.
Gomes, L. H. (2017). Nearly 80 per cent foreign donations come from China, data shows. The New Daily. https://thenewdaily.com.au/new....
 
18.
Gross, S. (2021). Australia Urges Wine Industry to Find New Markets During China Ban. Bloomberg.Com. https://www.bloomberg.com/news....
 
19.
Herr, R., & Bergin, A. (2011). Our near abroad. Australia and Pacific islands regionalism. Australian Strategic Policy Institute. https://www.jstor.org/stable/r....
 
20.
Hurst, D. (2021a). China’s infamous list of grievances with Australia ‘should be longer than 14 points’, top diplomat says. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/au....
 
21.
Hurst, D. (2021b). US vows to work with Australia to oppose China’s ‘unfair’ trade practices. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/au....
 
22.
International Trade Centre. (2023). Trade Map. https://www.trademap.org.
 
23.
Interview with Haslinda Amin. (2017). https://www.foreignminister.go....
 
24.
Ji, Y. (2016). China’s Emerging Indo-Pacific Naval Strategy. Asia Policy, 22, 11–19.
 
25.
Kynge, J., Anderlini, J., & Hornby, L. (2017). Inside China’s secret ‘magic weapon’ for worldwide influence. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/fb2....
 
26.
Liu Mingfu. (2015). The China Dream: Great Power Thinking and Strategic Posture in the Post-American Era. CN Times Books Inc.
 
27.
Mackie, J. (2011). China, Australia and Indonesia. Security Challenges, 7(3), 1–4. JSTOR.
 
28.
Medcalf, R. (2016). The Western Indo-Pacific: India, China, and the Terms of Engagement. Asia Policy, 22, 61–68.
 
29.
Miller, T. (2017). China’s Asian Dream: Empire Building along the New Silk Road. Zed Books.
 
30.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. (2020, April 27). Transcript of Chinese Ambassador Cheng Jingye’s interview with Australian Financial Review political correspondent Andrew Tillett. https://www.mfa.gov.cn/ce/ceau....
 
31.
Needham, K. (2021). Australia toughens rules on foreign interference at universities. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/....
 
32.
Norris, W. J. (2016). Chinese Economic Statecraft: Commercial Actors, Grand Strategy, and State Control. Cornell University Press.
 
33.
Pratiwi, F. I. (2020). China Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) in Indonesia’s Socio-Economic Security Challenges: A Policy Recommendation (Sorotan Kebijakan Luar Negeri Indonesia Di Mata Akademisi Muda Indonesia, pp. 78–93). Centre for Strategic and International Studies. https://www.jstor.org/stable/r....
 
34.
Sargeant, B. (2020). The Pacific Islands in the ‘Indo-Pacific’. Security Challenges, 16(1), 26–31.
 
35.
Scott, D. (2019). China’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: The Problems of Success. The Journal of Territorial and Maritime Studies, 6(2), 94–113.
 
36.
Shambaugh, D. (Ed.). (2012). Tangled Titans: The United States and China (1 edition). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
 
37.
Shambaugh, D. (2013). China Goes Global: The Partial Power. Oxford University Press.
 
38.
Special Address by Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia. (2022). World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/events....
 
39.
Tham, J.-C. (2017). Of Aliens, Money and Politics: Should Foreign Political Donations Be Banned? 28. https://doi.org/10.1080/096157....
 
40.
The American Enterprise Institute. (2023). China Global Investment Tracker. AEI. https://www.aei.org/china-glob....
 
41.
The Economist. (2022). Australia and China are on speaking terms again. The Economist. https://www.economist.com/asia....
 
42.
The Growth Lab at Harvard University. (2023). The Atlas of Economic Complexity. http://www.atlas.cid.harvard.e....
 
43.
Vaughn, B. (2023). Australia: Background and U.S. Relations (No. R47378). https://crsreports.congress.go....
 
44.
WTO. (2022). WTO dispute panel to review Chinese complaint regarding Australian duties. https://www.wto.org/english/ne....
 
45.
Xing, D., Boscaini, J., & Terzon, E. (2023). Students rush back to Australia after China bans online learning with foreign universities. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/20....
 
46.
Zhao Lijian, PRC Foreign Ministry Spokesperson. (2020). Remarks on the Root Cause of China-Australia Relations Taking a Sharp Downturn. https://www.mfa.gov.cn/ce/cgbr....
 
47.
Zhou, F. (2023). China-Australia Relations and China’s Policy Choices toward Australia. China Review, 23(1), 213–242. JSTOR.
 
48.
Zhou, N. (2019). Pro-China and pro-Hong Kong students clash at University of Queensland. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/au....
 
49.
Zu, H. (2022). A New Perspective on Motivations Behind Chinese Overseas Investment: A Case Study on the Darwin Port Deal. Australian Journal of Politics & History, 68(3), 467–483. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajph.1....
 
eISSN:2391-789X
ISSN:1734-2031
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top