This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/nov/22/australia-must-pursue-our-own-goals-in-us-relationship-says-wong
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Australia must pursue 'our own goals' in US relationship, says Wong | Australia must pursue 'our own goals' in US relationship, says Wong |
| (17 days later) | |
| Labor senator says Australia must work with US ‘as it is now, not as it might once have been’, on eve of government’s foreign policy white paper | Labor senator says Australia must work with US ‘as it is now, not as it might once have been’, on eve of government’s foreign policy white paper |
| Katharine Murphy Political editor | Katharine Murphy Political editor |
| Wed 22 Nov 2017 07.01 GMT | Wed 22 Nov 2017 07.01 GMT |
| Last modified on Fri 9 Feb 2018 18.36 GMT | |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| View more sharing options | View more sharing options |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Close | Close |
| The United States is contributing to the disrupted global political environment, and one year on from Donald Trump’s election to the White House, America’s direction and its impact on the world is not much clearer, according to Australia’s shadow foreign minister, Penny Wong. | The United States is contributing to the disrupted global political environment, and one year on from Donald Trump’s election to the White House, America’s direction and its impact on the world is not much clearer, according to Australia’s shadow foreign minister, Penny Wong. |
| In a major speech characterising Australia’s relationship with the US, delivered as the Turnbull government is set to release the first new foreign policy white paper in more than a decade, Wong emphasised that the relationship was “deep, long-standing and institutional” and not a function of “the personalities of our respective leaders”. | In a major speech characterising Australia’s relationship with the US, delivered as the Turnbull government is set to release the first new foreign policy white paper in more than a decade, Wong emphasised that the relationship was “deep, long-standing and institutional” and not a function of “the personalities of our respective leaders”. |
| But while emphasising the continuity of the post-war alliance, Wong said: “A year on from President Trump’s election, what kind of world is emerging and what kind of country America is becoming has not become much clearer, and how we might transcend personality politics in both the US and Australia has not become any easier.” | But while emphasising the continuity of the post-war alliance, Wong said: “A year on from President Trump’s election, what kind of world is emerging and what kind of country America is becoming has not become much clearer, and how we might transcend personality politics in both the US and Australia has not become any easier.” |
| Wong said Labor’s view was Australia had to “work with the US as it is now, not as it might once have been, or as some of its naysayers claim it’s going to become”. | Wong said Labor’s view was Australia had to “work with the US as it is now, not as it might once have been, or as some of its naysayers claim it’s going to become”. |
| “The US is one of the most vibrant societies on Earth, as energetic and full of potential as it has ever been. It is constantly transforming itself as it capitalises on its enormous human, social and physical capital resources,” she said. | “The US is one of the most vibrant societies on Earth, as energetic and full of potential as it has ever been. It is constantly transforming itself as it capitalises on its enormous human, social and physical capital resources,” she said. |
| Wong noted Washington had “a lot on its plate at present”, dealing with domestic economic, political and social stresses and substantial fiscal challenges. | Wong noted Washington had “a lot on its plate at present”, dealing with domestic economic, political and social stresses and substantial fiscal challenges. |
| “The place the US has and seeks to project in the world, as well as its approach to its alliance relationships, have been the subject of political debate and varying degrees of political rhetoric,” Wong said. | “The place the US has and seeks to project in the world, as well as its approach to its alliance relationships, have been the subject of political debate and varying degrees of political rhetoric,” Wong said. |
| She noted the US was also “dealing with the allegations of foreign interference in the inner workings of its own democracy” a challenge that was both subversive and infectious. “Australia, along with our fellow democracies, needs to work with the US to bolster and strengthen democracies everywhere.” | She noted the US was also “dealing with the allegations of foreign interference in the inner workings of its own democracy” a challenge that was both subversive and infectious. “Australia, along with our fellow democracies, needs to work with the US to bolster and strengthen democracies everywhere.” |
| She said working with the US as it is “demands clarity, consistency and persistence across the entire gamut of our bilateral relationships”. | She said working with the US as it is “demands clarity, consistency and persistence across the entire gamut of our bilateral relationships”. |
| “Engagement at the head-of-government level remains important, as does engagement between our national institutions, corporations, public and private sector decision makers and, very importantly, our thinktanks.” | “Engagement at the head-of-government level remains important, as does engagement between our national institutions, corporations, public and private sector decision makers and, very importantly, our thinktanks.” |
| Emphasising a theme she has pursued since taking the shadow foreign affairs portfolio, Wong said Australia and the US had abiding shared values and interests, but Australia needed to have agency within the relationship, and “pursue our own goals for our own purposes”. | Emphasising a theme she has pursued since taking the shadow foreign affairs portfolio, Wong said Australia and the US had abiding shared values and interests, but Australia needed to have agency within the relationship, and “pursue our own goals for our own purposes”. |
| The Turnbull government will on Thursday release a new foreign policy white paper, the first recalibration of Australia’s foreign policy in more than a decade. | The Turnbull government will on Thursday release a new foreign policy white paper, the first recalibration of Australia’s foreign policy in more than a decade. |
| Ahead of the release of the document, there has been a spirited debate in foreign policy circles and among former politicians about how the current government should draw our major international relationships. | Ahead of the release of the document, there has been a spirited debate in foreign policy circles and among former politicians about how the current government should draw our major international relationships. |
| Two former prime ministers, Paul Keating and John Howard, have expressed divergent views about Australia’s relationship with Washington in the age of Trump. | Two former prime ministers, Paul Keating and John Howard, have expressed divergent views about Australia’s relationship with Washington in the age of Trump. |
| Keating has urged Australia to step back from the alliance and “make our way in Asia ourselves, with an independent foreign policy”. | Keating has urged Australia to step back from the alliance and “make our way in Asia ourselves, with an independent foreign policy”. |
| Howard has said he doesn’t see the core elements of the alliance, the Anzus treaty and the five-eyes intelligence-sharing arrangements, being “disturbed” by Trump’s presidency. | Howard has said he doesn’t see the core elements of the alliance, the Anzus treaty and the five-eyes intelligence-sharing arrangements, being “disturbed” by Trump’s presidency. |
| Wong’s speech on Wednesday evening referenced China’s rise as a second significant disruption in global foreign policy relationships. | Wong’s speech on Wednesday evening referenced China’s rise as a second significant disruption in global foreign policy relationships. |
| “China’s newfound economic strength and assertiveness have also contributed to the age of disruption,” Wong said. | “China’s newfound economic strength and assertiveness have also contributed to the age of disruption,” Wong said. |
| “As we have seen with China’s extraordinary rise, economic power can now have a strategic effect independent of military power. What remains uncertain is the consequence of China’s military strength growing to match its economic strength as its strategic ambitions are realised over the coming decades. | “As we have seen with China’s extraordinary rise, economic power can now have a strategic effect independent of military power. What remains uncertain is the consequence of China’s military strength growing to match its economic strength as its strategic ambitions are realised over the coming decades. |
| “This double-whammy form of disruption – the separation of economic and military power and then its recombination – will largely define the region in which Australia and the US have strategic interests for the rest of this century.” | “This double-whammy form of disruption – the separation of economic and military power and then its recombination – will largely define the region in which Australia and the US have strategic interests for the rest of this century.” |
| Penny Wong | Penny Wong |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
| Donald Trump | Donald Trump |
| US politics | US politics |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |