Paul Keating advises Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on navigating the complex diplomatic relations between China and the United States.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has increasingly relied on the counsel of former Prime Minister Paul Keating to navigate the growing diplomatic pressures from China and the United States. According to the new book by James Curran, Keating advised Albanese to move beyond a strategy of mere "stabilization" with China and toward active "engagement." Keating urged Albanese to be more independent of the U.S. and noted that Australia's hosting of U.S. military assets has made the country the "southern flank" of the United States in the Pacific. He also highlighted a past instance where the U.S. and China were in asymmetrical trade relations, noting that America "sold out" Australia by selling its own beef to replace Australian soybeans during a period of economic coercion. Keating's advice serves as a guide for Albanese as he seeks to balance the interests of two great powers while maintaining Australian sovereignty.