A senior U.S. military official put Australia in a tough position Thursday by demanding that the island nation choose between a robust alliance with the U.S. or closer economic ties with China, reports the New York Times.
“I think the Australians need to make a choice … it’s very difficult to walk this fine line between balancing the alliance with the United States and the economic engagement with China,” U.S. Army Assistant Chief of Staff Colonel Tom Hanson explained on Australian Broadcasting Corp. Radio.
“There’s going to have to be a decision as to which one is more of a vital national interest to Australia,” Hanson added.
China has criticized Australia for supporting American freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, conducting surveillance flights in the region, and pushing China to accept the ruling passed down by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which decimated its territorial claims.
In response, China’s state-sponsored Global Times rebuked Australia, calling it a “paper cat,” a demotion from the already derogatory “paper tiger,” and urged Beijing to sink any Australian vessel that entered China’s waters.
Australia has yet to conduct a freedom of navigation operation unilaterally, despite ruffling China’s feathers on numerous occasions. The hesitation is justified, China is Australia’s largest trading partner. Australia is reticent to let geopolitical tensions destroy economic opportunities.
Hanson indicated that Australia should take a stand and put pressure on China in the South China Sea.
“Clearly China believes that they have an opportunity and they feel empowered to flout that, and a demonstration by Australia would be welcome,” he explained.
The Pentagon, according to Reuters, disputes Hanson’s statements, arguing that the views he expressed are his personal views and that his thoughts do not represent the views and attitudes of the U.S. government.
“The idea that Australia, or any country, needs to choose between its longstanding ties to the United States and its emerging links with China presents a false choice,” said U.S. Navy Commander Garry Ross, a Pentagon spokesperson, in a statement. “Australia has strong, multifaceted ties with its Pacific neighbors, including China, just as we seek the same.”
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was delicate and diplomatic in response to Hanson’s comments.
“We are balancing relationships between our largest strategic ally and our largest trading partner with deft diplomacy, consistency and pragmatism,” Bishop said. She also stressed the continued importance of the U.S. in the Indo-Pacific region, stating that America’s presence is just as important now as it has ever been.
The U.S. and Australia will both take part in the G20 summit scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China this weekend. Over the past few weeks, different groups and individuals have been pressing leaders to take China to task over everything from human rights to territorial disputes in the East and South China Sea.
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