Issues in Australian Foreign Policy July to December 2021

Abstract

The second half of 2021 proved an exacting time for Australian policymakers as they grappled with a range of ongoing and emergent challenges, each severely testing the country's infrastructures, capabilities, and foreign policy horizons. National policy challenges were marked by elements of continuity with the preceding period, juxtaposed with new and unexpected dilemmas. In terms of relative continuity, Australia's battle against the COVID-19 pandemicas outlined in earlier reviews by Agius and Claptonremained centre-stage, while going through a series of torturous new evolutions. 1 Furthermore, the established trend of degenerating bilateral relations with Australia's primary trading partner, China, continued unabated, with Chinese economic coercion provoking intensified rhetoric on both sides. Set against celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the ANZUS alliance, it became apparent that Canberra's posture towards China was becoming more 'securitised' across all fronts.In contrast to theses continuities, some new developments caught both scholars and analysts off guard. The announcement of a totally unanticipated initiative in the form of the 'AUKUS' (Australia-UK-US) trilateral agreement unveiled a centrepiece deal that committed the United Kingdom and United Statesamong other thingsto assist Australia with the acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines, and created shockwaves as the existing French deal to provide conventional vessels was unceremoniously jettisoned. Regionally, the South Pacific suffered from both new repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic and natural calamities. In this respect, Australia's role within the 'Pacific Family' was wholly inadequate at the outset of the period under review but considerably more proactive in later months. On the global stage, Australia engaged in remarkably different ways in key forums, namely the G20 and the new United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conferences (Pre-COP26 and COP26), 2 due to contrasting goalsThe authors wish to extend their gratitude to Associate Professor Matt McDonald for his invitation to write this review and for his valuable feedback on an earlier draft.

AUKUS: Unresolved threats to the international system?

“…Australia was concerned about China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. China is suspicious of Australia's close relations and participation in regional military exercise and defense cooperation with the US and other countries (Abbondanza & Wilkins et al 2022).…”