SYDNEY: On Saturday (May 21), Australian voters threw out the centre-right government led by Scott Morrison and elected the centre-left Labor Party, led by Anthony Albanese.
Australia has dealt with so many Chinese pressure points over Morrison’s three-year term – economic coercion, diplomatic pressure, interference in democratic processes, prospects of an expanded foreign military footprint – that it’s worth taking a moment in this brief post-election lull to reflect on what it all means. We can also make some educated guesses about what’s to come under a new government.
The Morrison government’s most commendable achievement was withstanding the economic pressure campaign launched by Beijing in May 2020.
Earlier, Australia had passed new laws against foreign interference in Australian politics, and Chinese companies were excluded from a lucrative 5G contract. China’s tariffs and other trade measures against Australian beef, barley, wine, timber and other goods were widely interpreted as Beijing’s payback for these moves.
Australia never buckled. It did not change its policies to suit Beijing, and while Australian ministers tried to break through Beijing’s diplomatic freeze, the Morrison government never debased itself by appearing too eager to talk.
It didn’t have to, because Australia’s economic fundamentals were strong. Australia has comfortably withstood China’s economic pressure campaign, with exporters hurt by China’s sanctions all finding new markets.
All signs suggest that the new Labor government will maintain this approach. The incoming foreign minister Penny Wong has indicated that her door will be open, but that Beijing must take the initiative. The new government will not rush to repair ties.
Sensibly, at no point did the Morrison government consider retaliatory trade measures. Why risk escalating a conflict with a much bigger economy if you can endure it and still emerge as strong on the other side?
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