In the ongoing debate about Australia’s ‘China choice‘, many acknowledge that Australia must engage with China on its own terms, acting on the imperatives of national interest rather than ideology or history. This requires occasionally going against the grain of Australia’s traditional foreign policy positions; in particular, the propensity to view the world through Washington’s eyes.

Australian interests are sometimes different to those of the US, its closest ally, as Canberra’s decision to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in 2015 illustrated. This delicate balancing act will be challenging in the years to come, but will ultimately prove beneficial for Australia’s broader priority of creating a stable and prosperous regional environment, says former Foreign Minister Bob Carr.

In an interview at the AIIA national office, Mr Carr speaks about the opportunities in the Australia-China relationship and the best course of action for Australia in responding to issues in the South China Sea.

He stresses that Australia should maintain an independent foreign policy based on national interest rather than following the US in increasing its military presence in the area. Moreover, Australia can utilise its comprehensive strategic partnership with China to emphasise the importance of international law and advocate creative solutions such as a resource-sharing arrangement in the South China Sea.

More broadly, Mr Carr shares his insights on the situation in Syria and the wider Middle East, commenting on whether Australia can contribute in any way to managing tensions in this troubled region.

The interview with the AIIA’s Rhea Matthews followed Mr Carr’s participation in a recent dialogue at the AIIA’s national office with the Chinese Association for International Understanding. 

Filmed by Steven Warwick