Analysis-New Australian govt looks to SE Asia as it deals with ‘difficult’ China relationship

By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s new Labor authorities will put larger deal with relations with Southeast Asia and local weather change, a difficulty essential to its Pacific neighbours, because it navigates ties with a extra assertive China.

Relations between Canberra and Beijing have deteriorated in recent times, with China imposing commerce sanctions on Australian merchandise in response to insurance policies and selections similar to Australia’s name for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and its 5G community ban on Huawei. Incoming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged there might be no main change in China coverage underneath his authorities.

On Monday, Albanese mentioned the connection with China “will stay a tough one”, whereas Australia’s alliance with the U.S. was “our most necessary together with {our relationships} within the area and our multilateral commitments”.

Albanese and new Overseas Minister Penny Wong will face an early take a look at of diplomacy as they fly to Tokyo for a gathering of leaders of the Quad grouping of america, India and Japan on Tuesday.

Wong, born in Malaysia, is Australia’s first overseas-born overseas minister; she has served in Labor administrations that held nearer ties with Southeast Asian neighbours similar to Indonesia.

Australia might be taking new commitments on Southeast Asia and the Pacific to the Quad assembly, Wong mentioned in emailed feedback on Monday.

“We’ve got all the time understood the significance of Southeast Asia. We all know that whereas we’re all very completely different, our international locations face many shared challenges,” she mentioned. “All of us must work collectively to deal with the reshaping of the regional order, pandemic restoration – and as (Indonesia’s) President Widodo mentioned on to our Parliament, local weather change.”

Labor says it additionally desires to work with the Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The Quad assembly agenda will cowl Ukraine, stability within the Indo-Pacific and Pacific island international locations and local weather change.

The Quad is anticipated to announce an initiative to crack down on unlawful fishing within the Pacific, utilizing satellite tv for pc monitoring expertise, the Monetary Instances reported on Saturday.

This aligns with Labor’s pledge to spice up aerial surveillance of Pacific island nations’ huge unique financial zones, to assist recoup the $150 million misplaced every year to unlawful fishing.

Pacific island leaders have responded shortly to the brand new authorities, welcoming Labor’s pledge of extra local weather financing, which was seen as lacking in Australia’s outreach to the area whereas China elevated its affect.

China’s overseas minister, Wang Yi, is anticipated to reach within the Solomon Islands midweek to signal a controversial safety pact that had roiled the Australian election marketing campaign, and different offers together with a fisheries agreements. The Solomon Islands authorities and Chinese language overseas ministry didn’t reply to Reuters requests for remark.

China’s state-owned International Instances newspaper mentioned on Monday Albanese’s attendance on the Quad was a take a look at, “particularly on whether or not it may do away with the shadow of earlier [Prime Minister] Scott Morrison’s anti-China technique”.

Richard McGregor, senior analyst with the Lowy Institute overseas coverage assume tank, mentioned Albanese was unlikely to reset Australia’s relations with China.

“The Quad will reinforce these international locations’ robust China insurance policies, after which his second job is the Pacific Islands Discussion board, which probably follows after Wang Yi’s sweep by means of the area,” he mentioned. “That’s about competitors, not about kissing and making up.”

Pacific leaders will quickly meet for the Pacific Islands Discussion board, though a date has but to be introduced, with implications of the Solomon Islands safety pact a key problem amid concern over rising tensions between the Washington and Beijing within the Pacific.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham. Modifying by Gerry Doyle)