Australia’s Goal of ‘Stabilisation’ with Beijing a Failure: Expert

A senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has urged the Albanese government to drop its objective of “stabilising” relations with Beijing. In an opinion piece titled “Australia’s ‘softly, softly’ approach leaves China holding the big stick,” Euan Graham argued that Canberra needs to avoid over-emphasising a “relationship-building approach towards China,” especially one “centred on personal diplomacy between Albanese and Xi Jinping,” as it undermines Australia’s national interest. “Whenever China succeeds in elevating subjectively defined atmospherics as a basis for engagement, it undermines national-interest considerations if the other side accepts that differences should be minimised in order to establish goodwill or to maintain access,” he opined....