China’s extraordinary growth as an economic and military power has been a defining development for Australia. But managing our future relationship with an increasingly assertive and authoritarian China will require a reassessment of our assumptions about the nature of the Chinese political system and a willingness to learn from past mistakes.
Since former senator Sam Dastyari opened our eyes to Beijing’s extensive influence operations, we’ve come a long way towards understanding the nature and extent of the China challenge and developing effective responses. Yet we still don’t have a clear-eyed view of China, judging by the persistent refusal of apologists and boosters to acknowledge the dark side of the Chinese Communist Party’s exercise of power.