Canberra cannot butter bread on both sides

Marking a move to bolster trade with China, the Australian government unveiled a plan to enhance domestic exporters' access to the Chinese market on Monday. As trade barriers between the two countries continue to be eased, this measure will help promote bilateral economic cooperation.

The Accessing New Markets Initiative, a two-year plan backed by A$50 million ($33.32 million), encourages farmers, fishers, miners and winemakers to explore the Chinese market, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement.

That move once again underscores the pragmatic approach the Australian government under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has taken toward China. Since taking office in 2022, Albanese has opted to improve ties with China, which has been met with a reciprocal response from Beijing. The steadying of bilateral ties since then has brought tangible benefits to both sides. That should prompt the Albanese government to see China more objectively.

However, that pragmatism seems to have its limit.

The latest evidence of that came about two weeks before Canberra unveiled the pro-trade initiative when Australia concluded its largest 15-day joint military exercises with the Philippines and the United States in the South China Sea, a de facto move to embolden the Philippines to continue its provocative actions targeting China.

Australia should confront the stark contradiction between its economic interests and its security alignment, as the latter only escalates regional tensions and undermines stability. While benefiting from trade with China, Australia continues to try and sustain the AUKUS arrangement, a US-led mechanism targeting China, and lend support to the Philippines in the South China Sea. Such behavior exposes Australia's implicit calculations to butter both sides of its bread at the same time.

Although China attaches importance to economic and trade relations with Australia, it will under no circumstances tolerate such infringements on its core interests.

China poses no threat to Australia. Canberra must recognize that it is an external party to the maritime disputes in the South China Sea and that its ill-advised security policy serves neither regional peace nor Australia's own strategic credibility. Its two-faced policy toward China is not sustainable in the long run.

The Australian government is urged to develop a rational perception of China as not only Australia's largest trading partner but also a responsible major country committed to promoting peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Deepening economic and trade cooperation between the two countries would further unleash the potential of the two sides' economic complementarity and generate shared growth, while strengthening strategic coordination on regional and international affairs would serve their common interests and those of the region.

China has never demanded Australia to choose a side but urges it to uphold its strategic autonomy in handling international relations.

As this year marks the 10th anniversary of the Sino-Australian free trade agreement, the two countries should maintain close cooperation, continue high-quality implementation of the agreement and jointly conduct a review to identify areas for further improvement or expansion.

To create the necessary conditions to materialize mutually beneficial cooperation in not only economy and trade but also other fields, the Albanese government knows what to do.