The Albanese government has signalled cultural change in foreign affairs. But the promises must be matched by revitalising the nation’s security and policy capacity.
The test for Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong and team will be to pace themselves for a very long ride.Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong have seized – and generated – immediate opportunities to demonstrate seriousness on first-rank external issues of security, development and sustainability.
So far, more than so good. But the test for Albanese, Wong and team will be to pace themselves for a very long ride. This is a bike you don’t get off. The government’s attention must turn simultaneously to revitalising not only our diplomatic service, but the capacity, co-ordination and staying power of our whole security and policy community.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s imperial power trip across the South Pacific was likewise not aimed solely at undermining Australia. Even though enough of our Pacific neighbours are proving wisely cautious about China’s grand “bargain” –As for a People’s Liberation Army military base, it looks as ifwill be next in line after Djibouti, with ground reportedly being broken on a dual-use facility as soon as this week.
The language about Australia’s interests and values is plain but not gratuitous. There’s already a sense that an intensified set of security partnerships with South-East Asia should be grounded in shared principles – such as rules and sovereignty – rather than an imagined unity of liberal democratic values.
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