- The Strategist - https://www.aspistrategist.org.au -
Haunting AUSMIN
Posted By Graeme Dobell on November 29, 2013 @ 06:30
Hovering close to the table at the annual Australia–US ministerial were ghosts, spirits and spectres. New Zealand still qualifies as a ghost at this son-of-ANZUS feast, but in recent years the Kiwis have been edging back from the ethereal realm towards a more corporeal presence—now virtually resurrected and in good standing as a de facto US ally.
Ministers opposed any coercive or unilateral actions that could change the status quo in the East China Sea. They underlined the importance of efforts to reduce tensions and to avoid miscalculations or accidents in the East China Sea, including by improving marine communications.
Fears of decoupling have receded—but haven't vanished—and Tokyo now frets over ‘mutual vulnerability’ (sometimes called ‘strategic stability’), a world in which China's nuclear arsenal makes Washington hesitant to respond to Chinese aggression.
The Chinese objected right from the word go when we started the diplomacy of trying to set up the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue. First of all, we suggested it to the Americans and they said they would go away and think about it and then they came back and said, “We think it might work, see what the Japanese think.” I took it up with the then Japanese Foreign Minister, very unsuccessfully initially. He said to me,“Minister, why would we bother to have a trilateral security dialogue with a country like Australia. You’re not a very significant country compared to the US.” I thought this was not terribly diplomatic. I remember when I am crossed. He passed as the Foreign Minister and others came. The Japanese Foreign Ministry was pretty supportive. As we were getting it going the Chinese objected. The Chinese, they are in your face, they tell you what they think, which for us Australians—such shy and subtle people—is most refreshing. They took it up with me, said they didn’t like it: Is this an attempt to contain China?
... I made it quite clear to the Chinese, look we’re friends with you, we have excellent relationship with you, we are friends; and we can be friends with other people and make friendly relationships with other people. But we as a country are totally opposed to the concept of containment of China. I don’t think the Chinese have ever thought of Australia—they have thought it of America, they have thought it of Japan, but I don’t think they have thought we have a policy of wanting to contain China.
As Colin says, this is something that we have discussed, we’ve also informally discussed with the Japanese as well. So as not to allow a hare to rush away here, we obviously—I think it must be obvious—wouldn’t want sort of new architecture in East Asia which would be an attempt to kind of replicate NATO or something like that.
Article printed from The Strategist: https://www.aspistrategist.org.au
URL to article: https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/haunting-ausmin/
[1] Image: http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/8117718787_218466fc67_c.jpg
[2] edging back from the ethereal realm towards a more corporeal presence: http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/kiwi-and-kangaroo-part-iii-the-anzus-resurrection/
[3] de facto US ally: http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/asia-essentials-the-us-military-chameleon/
[4] Cocos (Keeling) Islands: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocos_%28Keeling%29_Islands
[5] Peter Jennings’ observation: http://www.aspistrategist.org.au/tough-messages-needed-at-ausmin/
[6] escalated its islands dispute with Japan: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/24/us-warns-beijiing-island-dispute-senkanus
[7] Trilateral Strategic Dialogue between Australian, Japan and the US: http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2013/jb_mr_131004.html
[8] AUSMIN communiqué: http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2013/jb_mr_131120.html
[9] Brad Glosserman notes: https://csis.org/files/publication/Pac1383.pdf
[10] Downer leapt in to clarify: http://www.usrsaustralia.state.gov/us-oz/2001/07/30/transcript.html
[11] creepyhalloweenimages: http://www.flickr.com/photos/halloweenstock/8117718787/