Australia should strengthen its alliance with the US to counter growing Chinese power in the Indo-Pacific region amid tensions over maritime disputes, according to a new government report.
Australia’s first foreign policy white paper in more than a decade, released on Thursday, recommends that Canberra take a more active role in the region and adopt a tougher stance against Beijing’s territorial ambitions.
It criticises the “unprecedented pace” of Beijing’s island-building projects in the South China Sea, saying Australia was opposed to the building of “artificial structures” for military purposes.
