Australia is being urged to dramatically deepen its relationship with Taiwan, but a significant hurdle might be standing in the way. A new report is sounding the alarm, suggesting that Australia's current cautious approach towards Taiwan is actually eroding trust and risks leaving the island vulnerable. This comes at a time when China is intensifying its pressure on Taiwan, leading to concerns about regional stability.
This influential report, titled "Australia-Taiwan relations: Policy Options and Priorities for Engagement," was put together by a distinguished group of academics and includes insights from former high-ranking officials like Peter Varghese (former Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), Rachel Noble (former Director-General of the Australian Signals Directorate), and Lieutenant General Gregory Charles Bilton (former Chief of Joint Operations). They are collectively calling for Australia to expand its diplomatic, trade, and even security connections with Taiwan.
The core of the issue? China's assertive stance. Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has been increasing military drills around the island, actions that have been described by a top US general as "rehearsals" for an invasion.
But here's where it gets controversial... While Taiwan is a significant trading partner for Australia, the federal government operates under the "One China policy." This policy acknowledges Beijing's claim over Taiwan, which, while allowing for informal political and strong economic ties, has left Taipei feeling increasingly frustrated. The report highlights that Australia's priority of maintaining stable relations with Beijing has unintentionally weakened Taipei's confidence in Australia as a dependable strategic ally. In contrast, other like-minded nations are apparently less hesitant to forge stronger ties with Taiwan.
Professor Peter Dean, a co-author of the report and a senior defence adviser, argues that if Australia is committed to maintaining the status quo and deterring conflict in the Taiwan Strait, it should be actively supporting Taiwan. He points out that Taiwan is facing "unprecedented grey-zone operations and economic coercion," and other nations are stepping up their engagement. "Why aren't we doing more to support Taiwan?" he questions.
The report suggests several concrete steps for Australia: expanding its diplomatic presence, considering ministerial visits, boosting cooperation in areas like green energy, increasing public service awareness of Taiwan, and even taking tentative steps to enhance defence cooperation, such as appointing a de facto defence attaché in Taipei.
And this is the part most people miss... While the report acknowledges that expanding defence ties requires extreme caution due to China's sensitivity, it proposes that Australia could still offer "logistical and material support" for dual-use technology, help Taiwan improve its conflict preparedness, engage in track two dialogues, and allow Taiwanese diplomats direct access to Australia's Defence Department. Professor Dean emphasizes that bolstering Taiwan's security is in Australia's own interest, contributing to democratic strengthening, shock resilience, and supply chain robustness.
However, not everyone is on board with the defence cooperation recommendations. Former DFAT Secretary Peter Varghese, for instance, expressed strong reservations, stating that such moves would have "serious adverse implications for our relationship with China" without offering justifiable benefits to Australia. He believes that defence-to-defence relations push the boundaries of state-to-state interactions and represent a risky departure from the status quo.
Regarding trade, the report doesn't push for formal public support for Taiwan's bid to join the CPTPP trade agreement but suggests Australia could "investigate opportunities" with other countries to facilitate Taiwan's engagement with the pact. There's a notable consensus among experts that Australia could at least initiate negotiations for Taiwan's accession.
Economically, the report offers a range of recommendations, including developing new supply chains for critical minerals, exploring opportunities in batteries and emerging technologies, and fostering new state and city partnerships.
Professor Dean believes the Australian debate is too often fixated on the security risk of Taiwan potentially dragging Australia into a conflict with China. He advocates for a broader discussion on Taiwan's critical role in global supply chains and the catastrophic consequences of any invasion or blockade. "We need to think about this as a regional issue and management problem," he urges, suggesting that focusing solely on the worst-case scenario narrows the policy options. "By focusing solely on the nightmare scenario, that's narrowed the debate and that's almost then narrowed the policy discussion and policy options."
What are your thoughts? Do you believe Australia should prioritize strengthening ties with Taiwan, even if it means risking its relationship with China? Or is the current cautious approach the most pragmatic path forward? Share your views in the comments below!
