Is Australia Too Close to Uncle Sam?

How Should Australia Juggle its Security and Growth?

H. A. G. Longstaff

AUSTRALIA IS HEAVILY INTERTWINED WITH BOTH GLOBAL ECONOMIC HEGEMONIES, THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA. How can Australia finesse the dilemma of the increasingly intense security and economic competition between our largest trade partner and our most important security ally? Can we effectively sit on the sidelines and enjoy the best of both worlds: unconstrained trade with China under the US security umbrella? How will the volatile US election affect our most sacred international relationship?

Since 1941, our closest ally and most stable global relationship has been with the US. From saving Australian troops from impending doom in Singapore to John Howard invoking the ANZUS treaty three days after 9/11, both of our nations have established a high rapport with each other. 

Yet, as the geopolitical climate becomes increasingly unstable and Beijing’s intimidation campaign continues to threaten both Australia’s and the US’s economic stability, Australia needs to either cuddle up closer to China for economic prosperity or stick it through with the US, risking war with Taiwan.

Alongside the US, Australia has entered into conflicts in Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan and Iraq. All of these without a direct threat to Australia itself. Yet will our alliance and faith in America risk us sliding into a war with Taiwan with no proper debate? Is there an argument for Australia stepping back and following the trend of growing autarky and on-shoring, whereby taking manufacturing away from China and dispersing our relationship with the US to ensure our prosperity?

Source: Google. American and Chinese military

The answer is simply No. Without the security protection from the US and the substantial economic growth from China, Australia would not be able to achieve the high standard of living that we are able to enjoy. But where do we draw the line? Can we still rely on the US when their homefront is becoming increasingly fragmented?

Source: Google. Chinese and Australian flags

Both Trump and Biden are looking increasingly unfit for office, and the election in November has been reduced to a simple question: Who is the lesser of two evils? The question Australia should be asking is; will the US be willing to protect usas it did in Singapore in 1941? Or does each potential President have bigger things on their plate, be it a further criminal trial in Trump’s case? 

Source: Google. President Biden and Xi Jingping

It has become clear that the international rules based order is being continually threatened, whereby China’s political freeze and trade bans in recent years has highlighted the important balance between staring down China’s bullying and maintaining strong economic relationships. Yet the US has adopted a hard-line approach towards the East, which is supported around the globe to call an end to China’s capitalisation of lenience. There is a strong argument for backing a bullish foreign policy and protecting allies such as Taiwan.

Source: Google. Chinese built islands in the South China Sea

Australia needs to continue walking the tightrope, balancing the fact that the US needs a strategic base in Australia to deal with the geopolitical pressures of the South-China Sea whilst China needs our Iron ore to supply its expansionist goals.