Link to article: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/china-conducting-dramatic-economic-warfare-against-australia-us-official
Summary: China is conducting “dramatic economic warfare” against Australia in order to “break” the US ally. This has increased the anxiety about Beijing in the Indo-Pacific region. This was what the White House’s Indo-Pacific coordinator, Kurt Campbell, reported to a Sydney think tank. Joe Biden mentioned the recent treatment of Australia in his meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping. Biden said that this is an example of behavior that was backfiring because Xi’s advisers were not providing effective feedback. Campbell said this, “China’s preference would have been to break Australia. To drive Australia to its knees,”. Campbell highlighted the United State’s focus on having new security and economic alliances in the Indo-Pacific region. This includes but is not limited to the recent AUKUS deal. Campbell also states that “The United States is not leaving the Indo-Pacific, and we’re not in decline,”.
Analysis: The way China is treating Australia is an obvious reaction to the new threat that Australia will pose with the AUKUS submarine deal. China is only hurting themselves with this reaction though. It shows that they are not only scared of this deal and what it could mean for their hold on the Indo-Pacific region but it is also hurting trade relationships that China has. America as they said is not leaving the Indo-Pacific. China has been getting more and more aggressive as of late. Because of this aggression America has responded in more ways than one. China’s recent aggression has ultimately put them in a worse position than they were in before. America has allies and a solid presence in that region but nothing like they are now. They have done the AUKUS deal to help Australia hold China back and recently America has said they are going to be having more troops and equipment brought into that region which will cement America’s hold on that region even more.
How this relates to class: This shows America using the direct conflict approach to the collective good problem for China but it also shows America and Australia using the alliance part of it. America is telling China that they will not stand for this type of action basically and they are saying they will not leave that region no matter what China does so China should watch their actions. Australia is getting support from America as they both have an alliance and have the connection to one another to help for really nothing in return. Australia needs America’s help to fight off China but America also needs Australia to help them in that fight. So while they have the “friends” type of bond they are also both benefiting from each other.,