Australia’s worsening China relationship is – at its core - a product of our close alliance with the US. Beijing sees itself as being in a zero-sum contest with Washington, and Australia as being on the wrong side of the ledger.

What can we expect from our US allies in this hour of need? Incoming National Security adviser Jake Sullivan has tweeted that “America will stand shoulder to shoulder with our ally, Australia, and rally fellow democracies to advance our shared security, prosperity, and values.”