Caution and Compromise in Australia's China strategy

Policy consistency and diplomatic decorum have been the dominant themes
of Canberra’s publicly advertised approach to Beijing since the May 2022
federal election. The Albanese Labor government has reaffirmed all its
Coalition predecessor’s major China-related national security and defence
priorities. Among other areas of policy continuity, Australia under Albanese is
still trying to minimise China’s security role in the Pacific, expand US military
presence at Australian ports and airfields, combat Chinese government
interference in domestic politics, and acquire nuclear-powered submarines
through the AUKUS security partnership with the United States and the
United Kingdom (see ‘How Fearful is China’s Military Rise?’, page 199).