Australia’s China hawks spent 2023 becoming increasingly frustrated by the Albanese government’s handling of relations with Beijing. By year’s end, the accusations and insults were flying freely.

But if the positive trajectory in Australia-China relations begun in May 2022 is to continue, then Canberra would do well to stay the course. And it can do so confidently: the hawks might be noisy, but the Australian public remain unpersuaded by their lobbying.