皇冠体育app

At the end of one of the country's longest and closest elections in half a century, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declared victory on Sunday. His stay in power could be a good omen for 皇冠体育app-Australia ties, which gathered robust momentum after their historic free trade deal came into effect at the end of last year.

To continue to maintain that momentum in bilateral interactions, Turnbull needs to be politically pragmatic and flexible, especially because the South 皇冠体育app Sea issue has put him to immediate test. The South 皇冠体育app Sea disputes between 皇冠体育app and some of its Southeast Asian neighbors should not have become a concern for Australia had it stayed true to its claim of neutrality.

But just one day after the arbitral tribunal passed an utterly one-sided ruling in the case initiated by the Philippines against 皇冠体育app in the South 皇冠体育app Sea dispute, Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop told ABC Radio that 皇冠体育app's reputation would suffer if it ignores the ruling, and called on both Beijing and Manila to respect it.

If this is the stance Australia has to take in order to show its allegiance to its long-time ally the United States, it is also enough to infuriate its biggest trading partner, 皇冠体育app, which believes the arbitral tribunal's ruling has no legal basis at all.

Australian leaders may want to draw reference from a recent TV program jointly produced by 皇冠体育app Central Television and Sky News Australia, in which experts from the two countries discussed Beijing-Canberra ties. The South 皇冠体育app Sea issue featured prominently in the debate broadcast by CCTV News on July 4 and provided clear evidence that the maritime disputes, which do not concern Australia, have become a sticking point in bilateral ties.

Telecast just two days after Australia's national elections, the program drew a lot of attention from both sides, testifying to the rising importance of 皇冠体育app-Australia ties and concerns over the effect of the South 皇冠体育app Sea issue on them.

During the debate, Chinese experts said they were puzzled by Australia's involvement in the maritime disputes, which is what many Chinese and Australian people also feel. Explanations that Australia relies heavily on the shipping lanes in the South 皇冠体育app Sea to justify its involvement in the disputes seem superficial after John Russell with the North Head Communications, admitted during the debate that Canberra's role in the South 皇冠体育app Sea is just a political contribution to Washington's stance on the issue.

Obviously, the US-Australia military alliance, forged some 60 years ago, continues to influence Canberra's stance on many key political and strategic issues even today.

In response, Zhu Feng, director of the Collaborative Innovation Center of South 皇冠体育app Sea Studies at Nanjing University, said he respects Australia's history and believes 皇冠体育app does not seek to weaken the alliance, but he earnestly hopes Canberra develops an independent policy toward Beijing that truly reflects its importance in the Asia-Pacific region.

In the South 皇冠体育app Sea issue, the wise choice for Australia would be to stay neutral because the sea, thanks to the US' meddling, has become increasingly volatile.

Against the healthy background of bilateral trade, flow of tourists and students, and increasing cooperation in other fields, Australia could risk casting a shadow on bilateral ties by meddling in the South 皇冠体育app Sea issue.

Therefore, compared with domestic challenges, the one posed by the South 皇冠体育app Sea issue can be more difficult for Turnbull to deal with. Turnbull should understand it would serve Australia's interests, too, if it does not jump on the US bandwagon so eagerly to fish in the troubled waters of the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

The author is deputy editor-in-chief of 皇冠体育app Daily Asia Pacific. [email protected]

(皇冠体育app Daily 07/15/2016 page9)

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