Washington encourages Canberra not to back away from the increasingly adversarial stance it has taken towards Beijing. Yet, nearly 200 days into the Biden administration, there’s still no concrete evidence that US support extends beyond rhetoric.

The fallout from Covid-19 has accelerated the trend of China’s economic might in the world and political influence in the Asia-Pacific.

While some in Australia have suggested that the country should form an economic alliance with like-minded democracies, in the world of international commerce, democratic and strategic friends are often the fiercest rivals.

Journalists, academics and businesspeople alike are getting caught up in rising bilateral tensions, which threaten two-way trade, academic exchanges and people-to-people ties.

Canberra has expressed a willingness to work with Beijing on much needed infrastructure in the region. However, concerns abound, ranging from standards to security threats, which have made the country hesitant to dive in.