The deterioration of Australia-China relations: what went wrong?

ABSTRACT

Sino-Australia relations have experienced a rapid deterioration in the past half-decade. From genial ties centred around trade and exchange, the relationship has descended into mutual hostility, prompting the editor of China’s Global Times to notoriously liken Australia to a blob of gum on the bottom of a shoe. To explain the deteriorating relationship, scholars have proposed numerous ideas, pointing to factors as wide-ranging as ‘Chinese influence’, poor diplomacy efforts, and ontological (in)security touched off by neoliberal governmentality. The current paper examines these ideas in a literature review, then synthesises such ideas to provide its own explanation of why things ‘went wrong’. It also addresses corollary questions such as why Australia adopted a uniquely assertive China policy, and why this occurred specifically around 2017. We argue that the breakdown in relations can be attributed to the rise of nationalist, sovereignty-oriented movements in the West, and the spillover effect this had on Australian leadership; the profound uncertainty attending the election of Trump and his isolationist tendencies; and the shift to a more rigid, authoritarian approach to foreign affairs under Xi. This perspective adds to the literature by identifying failings on both sides while underscoring significant yet underappreciated global trends, such as nationalism.

KEYWORDS:

• Australia-China relations
• geopolitics
• nationalism
• sovereignty
• realism

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Financial support

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Katherine Lee

Katherine Lee is a PhD candidate at the Institute of China and Asia Pacific Studies, National Sun Yat-sen University. She has conducted extensive research in the field of international relations, with a specific focus on political issues in the Asia Pacific region.

Elad Bruhl

Elad Bruhl is currently completing a postgraduate degree at National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei, Republic of China. His research interests are broad-reaching, extending from English literature all the way to international politics, with a particular emphasis on Australia-China relations.