The Gillard Government and Australia-China Relations
Julia Gillard was prime minister of Australia from June 2010 to June 2013, replacing Kevin Rudd [topic link page]. Prior to becoming leader, Gillard worked almost solely on domestic policy, eschewing involvement in Australian foreign policy and visiting China only once during her time in parliament.
Several analysts hoped that Gillard would bring a steady and uncontroversial approach to the China relationship following the more tumultuous Rudd years. From the outset, Gillard declared Australia ‘can have our strong, long-standing friendship and alliance with the United States, based as it is on shared values, as well as have a positive and constructive engagement with China.’
Gillard made her maiden official visit to China in May 2011, the first prime ministerial stopover since Kevin Rudd delivered his controversial zhengyou [add topic link] address at Peking University in April 2008. She held talks on trade and investment and raised human rights issues with then Chinese president Hu Jintao and then premier Wen Jiabao, and spoke at a business forum.
In September 2011, Gillard announced her signature Australia in the Asian Century White Paper [topic link page], a comprehensive report on how Australia should best position itself to respond to a rising Asia, and particularly China. The report was launched in October 2012.
Controversy first struck in November 2011 when US President Barack Obama visited Australia to launch his ‘Pivot to Asia’ [topic page link] in a speech to the Australian parliament, and announced the stationing of US marines in Darwin with Gillard at his side. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) criticised the move as inappropriate and ‘not … in the interest of countries within this region’. Chinese state media warned that Australia ‘cannot play China for a fool’ and could now be ‘caught in the crossfire’ of a potential China–US conflict.
Tensions grew further when it was reported in early 2012 that the Gillard government had banned Huawei [topic page link] from participating in construction of the National Broadband Network on national security grounds.
But Gillard was successful in upgrading diplomatic relations with China. In March 2012, she wrote to Hu Jintao proposing a regular high-level dialogue, sending Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Secretary Dennis Richardson to Beijing in August to follow up. In April 2013, Gillard made a state visit to China (accompanied by a heavyweight delegation of political and business leaders) and met with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang. Following these meetings, Gillard announced that Australia and China had agreed to upgrade their bilateral diplomatic architecture to the level of a ‘strategic partnership’ 战略伙伴关系.
This ‘strategic partnership’ secured annual meetings between the Australian prime minister and Chinese premier, Australian treasurer and trade minister and the chairman of the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission, and between the Australian and Chinese foreign ministers. This put Australia on the same diplomatic level with China as Russia, Germany, the UK and the EU, and just one level below the US. This achievement garnered near-universal praise for Gillard in Australian media and policy circles (Hugh White [topic page link] being a notable exception).
The Defence White Paper released by the Gillard government soon after, in May 2013, was explicit that Australia encouraged ‘China’s peaceful rise’, discernibly softening Australian rhetoric when compared to the Rudd government’s 2009 White Paper [topic link page] that identified Chinese military expansion as a ‘cause for concern’.
The only sustained criticism of China policy during Gillard’s tenure was Australia’s continued inability to advance the stalled China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (CHAFTA) negotiations [topic page link].
Links
- Australian Embassy in China, ‘Media – News, Speeches and Other Links’.
- Australian Government, ‘Australia in the Asian Century’.
- Bob Carr, Diary of a Foreign Minister, Sydney: University of New South Wales Press, 2014.
August 2010
- Geoffrey Garrett, ‘Strategic Choices – Australia, China and the US in Asia’, Asialink Essay, August 2010.
October 2010
- ABC, ‘Foreign Policy Not My Thing, Says Gillard’, ABC News, 6 October 2010.
November 2010
- Tom Cowie, ‘In Foreign Policy, Gillard Needs to Undo the Damage of the Rudd Era’, Crikey, 2 November 2010.
March 2011
- Michelle Grattan, ‘Don’t fear China, PM tells US’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 March 2011.
- Simon Benson, ‘China Spies Suspected of Hacking Julia Gillard’s Emails’, The Telegraph, 29 March 2011.
April 2011
- Hamish Mcdonald, ‘Gillard faces wary strangers in China’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2 April 2011.
- Geoffrey Barker, ‘More than pleasantries’, Australian Financial Review, 11 April 2011.
- Hugh White, ‘Gillard Treads Finest of Lines in China Trip’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 April 2011.
- John Lee, ‘PM May Trump Rudd in Managing China’, The Australian, 21 April 2011.
- ABC Australia, ‘Stephen Joske on Julia Gillard’s Visit to China’, Economist Intelligence Unit for the Media, 24 April 2011.
- Matthew Franklin and Michael Sainsbury, ‘Julia Gillard’s US-China Balancing Act’, The Australian, 26 April 2011.
- John Garnaut, ‘Gillard’s Asian love-in peppered with digs at China’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 April 2011.
- John Garnaut, ‘Beijing demands Gillard’s respect’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 26 April 2011.
- Matthew Franklin, ‘Julia Gillard Rejects Need to Contain China’, The Australian, 27 April 2011.
- Chris Buckley, ‘Australia’s Gillard Woos China, Presses on Human Rights’, Reuters, 26 April 2011.
- Rowan Callick, ‘Gillard Set to Assure Chinese of Trade Ties’, The Australian, 26 April 2011.
- Matthew Franklin, ‘Julia Gillard rejects need to contain China’, The Australian, 27 April 2011.
- Rowan Callick, ‘First bloke in wave of Chinese whispers’, The Australian, 27 April 2011.
- Simon Benson, ‘Laying Out Best China for Julia Gillard’s Visit’, The Daily Telegraph, 27 April 2011.
- John Garnaut, ‘Australia to be Port of Call for Chinese Navy’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 28 April 2011.
- Editorial, ‘Redefining Australia-China Ties’, China.org.cn, April 2011.
May 2011
- Prime Minister Julia Gillard, ‘A period of profound change’, Speech to the ACBC Australia China Economic Trade Cooperation Forum, Beijing, published 3 May 2011.
- Rowan Callick, ‘Comment: Julia Gillard and China’, Australia China Connections, May/June 2011.
August 2011
- Michael Sainsbury, ‘Political donor Chau Chak Wing to take up Wayne Swan’s time in China’, The Australian, 29 August 2011.
September 2011
- Daniel Flitton, ‘PM Seizes Reins on China Links’, The Age, 29 September 2011.
October 2011
- Secretary to the Treasury, Martin Parkinson, ‘The China-Australia relationship: Recognising the challenges, grasping the opportunities’, Speech to the Australia-China Youth Dialogue, Canberra, 14 October 2011.
November 2011
- Jackie Calmes, ‘Obama Says U.S. to Base 2,500 Marines in Australia’, The New York Times, 16 November 2011.
- Ben Packham, ‘China Reproaches Australia Over Strengthened US Defence Ties’, The Australian, 17 November 2011.
March 2012
- Sam Roggeveen, ‘What Bob Carr’s Blog Tells Us About His Foreign Policy Views’, The Interpreter, 2 March 2012.
- Chris Uhlmann, ‘New Foreign Minister Reflects on China’, 7.30, 21 March 2012.
- Linda Jakobson, ‘Carr’s Chance to Rally China Interest’, The Australian, 22 March 2012.
- Eleanor Hall, ‘Bob Carr “The Professional” Foreign Minister’, ABC Radio National, 22 March 2012.
- Renai LeMay, ‘Gillard Strongly Defends Huawei NBN Ban’, Delimiter, 29 March 2012.
May 2012
- BBC, ‘Carr; China Concerned by Australia-US Military Ties’, BBC News, 15 May 2012.
AFP, ‘Carr Says Rising China “Desirable”’, Herald Sun, 18 May 2012. - Peter Hartcher, ‘China Throws Book, But Carr Parries with Chapter and Verse’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 22 May 2012.
- Remy Davison, ‘Australian Appeasement: The Slow Boat to China’, The Conversation, 25 May 2012.
June 2012
- Debbie Guest, ‘Barnett bangs the drum for mature approach to China ties’, The Australian, 2 June 2012.
- Linda Jakobson, ‘Australia-China Ties: In Search of Political Trust’, Policy Briefs, Lowy Institute for International Policy, 28 June 2012.
- John Garnaut, ‘China ties at risk without real leaders, says expert’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 June 2012.
July 2012
- Max Suich, ‘A Relationship We Take for Granted at our Peril’, The Australian, 14 July 2012.
August 2012
- Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Bob Carr, ‘Dr Lee Seng Tee’, Speech at the Australian National University, Canberra, 21 August 2012.
- John Kerin, ‘China must accept Oz-US ties boost’, BRW, 22 August 2012.
- Greg Sheridan, ‘Carr’s co-operation recipe for a calmer sea’, The Australian, 23 August 2012.
September 2012
- Graeme Dobell, ‘Bob Carr has a Foreign Affair Parts 1 – 6’, The Interpreter, 12 September–2 October 2012.
- Edna Curran, ‘Bob Carr: Australia Can Help Diffuse South China Sea Tensions’, The Wall Street Journal, 14 September 2012.
October 2012
- Dennis Shanahan, ‘John Howard backs Julie Gillard on China, marines’, The Australian, 3 October 2012.
- Kerry Brown, ‘It’s not about face: it’s being able to talk the talk’, Australian Financial Review, 5 October 2012.
- ‘ALP Seeks Tighter China Ties in New Bob Carr Plan’, The Australian, 8 October 2012.
- Greg Sheridan, ‘Bob Carr delivers a masterclass’, The Australian, 8 October 2012.
- Editorial, ‘Carr’s steady hand should advance our Chinese ties’, The Australian, 9 October 2012.
- ‘‘Australia in the Asian Century’ White Paper Launch: The Hon Julia Gillard MP, Prime Minister of Australia’, Lowy Institute for International Policy, Sydney, 28 October 2012.
- ABC, ‘As it Happened: Australia in the Asian Century’, ABC News, 28 October 2012.
- Fergus Ryan, ‘Who’s Winning the Chinese Internet? Kevin Rudd or Julia Gillard?’, AusChina Blog, 30 October 2012.
November 2012
- Peter Hartcher, ‘PM Had Cold Feet on US Base Plan’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 5 November 2012.
- Michael Feller, ‘Why China’s Leadership Change Matters’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 6 November 2012.
- Jason Scott and Zeb Eckert, ‘Boosting China Military Ties Australian Priority, Carr Says’, Bloomberg, 7 November 2012.
- Glenn Dyer, ‘US Election Coverage: Don’t Mention China’, Crikey, 7 November 2012.
- John Kerin and Natalie Gerritsen, ‘Keating Lashes Foreign Policy’, Australian Financial Review, 14 November 2012.
- Adam Gartrell, ‘New leader won’t affect China ties: Carr’, News.com.au, 15 November 2012.
- Michael Sainsbury, ‘Supreme leader Xi Jinping knows us very well’, The Australian, 16 November 2012.
- Phillip Hudson, ‘Prime Minister Julia Gillard pledges closer ties with China’, Herald Sun, 16 November 2012.
- Phillip Coorey, ‘Gillard has Howard’s Views on Juggling US and China’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 19 November 2012.
December 2012
- Michael Sainsbury, ‘Julie Bishop in China: Three Day Tour in Beijing and China’, Crikey, 4 December 2012.
- Monica Tan, ‘Chinese “Tweeters” Misunderstand PM’s Apocalypse Message’, Daily Life, 12 December 2012.
- Rick Wallace, ‘Big Win Brings Problems’, The Australian, 18 December 2012.
- Ambassador Chen Yuming, ‘China-Australia relations have grown robustly’, Australian Financial Review, 20 December 2012.
February 2013
- Michael Sainsbury, ‘How China Could Shape Australia’s Election Campaign’, Crikey, 4 February 2013.
March 2013
- Gemma Jones, ‘Julia Gillard faces great wall of Chinese who love Kevin Rudd’, The Daily Telegraph, 7 March 2013.
- John Garnaut, ‘Gillard to push new dialogue in China visit’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 March 2013.
- John Garnaut, ‘Gillard’s turn to put China back in frame’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 29 March 2013.
- Phillip Hudson, ‘Prime Minister Julia Gillard to meet China’s leaders’, News.com.au, 31 March 2013.
April 2013
- AAP, ‘Gillard off to China to Promote Trade’, The Australian, 4 April 2013.
- Stephen McDonell, ‘Regional tensions dominate as Gillard heads to China’, ABC News, 4 April 2013.
- Rory Medcalf, ‘Australia’s Julia Gillard: China Bound’, The Diplomat, 4 April 2013.
- Enda Curran, ‘Australia’s Gillard to Lead Delegation to China’, The Wall Street Journal, 4 April 2013.
- Naomi Woodley and Stephen McDonell, ‘Gillard embarks on Chinese trade mission’, ABC News, 5 April 2013.
- Phillip Hudson, ‘Prime Minister Julia Gillard to urge China to convince North Korea to stand down from nuclear threats’, News.com.au, 5 April 2013.
- Monica Attard, ‘Gillard Trip Underlines Australia’s Dependence on China’, CNN, 5 April 2013.
- Tony Walker, ‘Gillard can help make up for lost time in China’, Australian Financial Review, 6 April 2013.
- ABC, ‘Gillard to press China over Korea tensions’, ABC News, 6 April 2013.
- John Garnaut and Mark Kenny, ‘Gillard Urges Closer Asian Ties to Ease Tensions’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 7 April 2013.
- Phillip Hudson, ‘Julia Gillard Says Tony Abbott Will Hurt Australian-China Relations’, News Limited Network, 7 April 2013.
- Mark Kenny and John Garnaut, ‘Australia, China in Strategic Talks’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 8 April 2013.
- Angus Grigg, ‘Xi Wants Relations at “New Level”’, Australian Financial Review, 8 April 2013.
- Kerry Brown, ‘China Meeting will be Vital for Gillard’s Standing’, Australian Financial Review, 8 April 2013.
- Naomi Woodley, ‘Gillard urges greater cooperation for Asia’s stability’, ABC News, 8 April 2013.
- Naomi Woodley, ‘Gillard announces Shanghai trade fair’, ABC News, 8 April 2013.
- Sid Maher, ‘‘New level’ for Chinese ties as Julia Gillard confident of growing relationship’, The Australian, 8 April 2013.
- Sid Maher, ‘Defence at Core of PM’s Push to Seal China Ties’, The Australian, 9 April 2013.
- Naomi Woodley, ‘Gillard to outline regional vision in Beijing speech’, ABC News, 9 April 2013.
- Mark Kenny, ‘Gillard Scores Coup with China Agreement’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 April 2013.
- Sid Maher, ‘China Deal the Cornerstone of Julia Gillard’s Asian Century’, The Australian, 10 April 2013.
- Stephen McDonell and Naomi Woodley, ‘Australia Locks in Annual Leadership Talks in China’, ABC News, 10 April 2013.
- Michael Sainsbury, ‘Wooing the Middle Kingdom: Gillard Posts a Solid Win in China’, Crikey, 10 April 2013.
- Linda Jakobsen, ‘Australia-China Strategic Partnership: Two Years of Fits and Starts’, The Interpreter, 10 April 2013.
- Phillip Hudson, ‘Julia Gillard Strikes Deal with China to Boost Australian Ties’, News.com.au, 10 April 2013.
- Wynne Wang, ‘China Begins Direct Trade in Australian Dollars for First Time’, The Australian, 10 April 2013.
- Belinda Cranston, ‘PM Secures Diplomatic Legacy with New China Deal’, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University, 11 April 2013.
- Philip Hudson, ‘Prime Minister Julia Gillard the Real Deal in China’, Herald Sun, 11 April 2013.
- Laurie Pearcey, ‘Gillard’s China Visit: A Silver Platter for Abbott?’, The Conversation, 12 April 2013, online at: http://theconversation.com/gillards-china-visit-a-silver-platter-for-abbott-13346
- Paul Kelly, ‘Julia Gillard deserves credit for belated success in Beijing, but it’s only a start’, The Australian, 13 April 2013.
- Greg Sheridan, ‘The challenge of China’, The Australian, 13 April 2013.
- Hugh White, ‘Australia is Now a Pawn in US-China Power Plays’, The Sydney
- Morning Herald, 16 April 2013.
- John Lee, ‘How Gillard Forged a Post-Rudd China Trust’, China Spectator, 17 April 2013.
- Peter Alford, ‘We Can Be Friends With US and China, Says Our Man on the Diplomatic Front’, The Australian, 20 April 2013.
- Alan Kohler, Robert Gottliebsen and Stephen Bartholomeusz, ‘KGB: Prime Minister Julia Gillard’, Business Spectator, 23 April 2013.
- Daryl Morini, ‘Gillard’s China Play’, The Diplomat, 27 April 2013.
- Peter Varghese, ‘Australia and Asia in the Asian Century’, Speech at the Asia Society, Sydney, 29 April 2013.
- ‘Prime Minister’s Visit to China – The Key Outcomes’, Asialink, University of Melbourne, April 2013.
May 2013
- Bernard Lane, ‘Diplomat Richard Woolcott Says Rhetoric and Spin Overshadows Reality in Asia’, The Australian, 22 May 2013.
June 2013
- Aveivey D., ‘Julia Gillard’s China Policy: An Analysis’, Eurasia Review, 13 June 2013.
August 2013
- Graeme Dobell, ‘Julia Gillard’s Foreign Policy – Parts 1-3’, The Strategist, 5 – 12 August 2013.
September 2013
- Mark Kenny, ‘Julia Gillard Defends Legacy, Criticises Kevin Rudd in First Public Comments Since Her Defeat’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 September 2013.
October 2013
- James Massola, ‘Julia Gillard: Why I Was Different to Kevin Rudd’, Australian Financial Review, 1 October 2013.
- Damien Kingsbury, ‘Speak Softly and Don’t Stuff Up: Bob Carr’s Legacy’, Crikey, 23 October 2013.
- ABC and AFP, ‘Former PM Julia Gillard Criticises Barack Obama’s Decision to Cancel APEC Visit over US Government Shutdown’, ABC Radio Australia, 25 October 2013.
April 2014
- Tom Allard and Jonathan Swan, ‘Bob Carr’s Diary takes aim at Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd for mistakes’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 April 2014.
- Jonathan Swan, ‘Bob Carr’s diaries threaten Australia’s relationships says Julie Bishop’, The Sydney Morning Herald, 9 April 2014.
- Sam Roggeveen, ‘Why Bob Carr’s book matters’, The Interpreter, 30 April 2014.
May 2014
- Fergus Ryan, ‘How the China lobby is building a Great Wall of influence’, China Spectator, 5 May 2014.
November 2014
- Benjamin Herscovitch, ‘Why Bob Carr is right about China’, China Spectator, 12 November 2014.
January 2015
- Goya Dmytryshchak, ‘Julia Gillard’s former Altona home now a shrine’, The Age, 14 January 2015.
March 2015
- Kate Talerico, ‘Gillard talks Australia’s relationship with Asia’, The Brown Daily Herald, 5 March 2015.
- Lean Alfred Santos, ‘Julia Gillard to Australia: ‘Look to Asia for our future’, Devex, 13 March 2015.