In an opinion piece for The Australian Financial Review, Professor Andrew O’Neil, Director Griffith Asia Institute and Assistant Professor Michael Cohen, Department of Political Science, University of Southern Denmark discuss how in the 2013 election campaign, foreign policy has centred on the illegal boat arrivals. This pales when compared to Australia’s challenge of negotiating future relations with Asia’s two great power rivals, China and the US.
They write that ‘it’s time for a more visionary, big picture conversation about how best to navigate our long-term relationships with Washington and Beijing in the context of sharpening rivalry between the US and China. Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott have a great opportunity to demonstrate leadership in this area in a way that hasn’t been evident on boat arrivals. It’s an opportunity that should be grasped with enthusiasm’.