World looking to Australia for lessons thwarting China

Acting US Ambassador Michael Goldman has delivered some of his government’s strongest support yet for Australia in it’s ongoing trade war with China.

The United States won’t leave Australia “on the pitch” as it pushes back against China’s escalating economic coercion, according to acting US Ambassador Michael Goldman.

Speaking at the QFI event in Brisbane yesterday Mr Goldman also praised Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan for demonstrating “you don’t need to out-China China to deal with a public health crisis”.

Acting US Ambassador Michael Goldman says Australia should keep up its fight to Chinese economic coercion. Pic Annette Dew

Mr Goldman, who is acting Ambassador while new President Joe Biden seeks a permanent appointment in Canberra, said the US had made it clear at a recent summit with China that it would stand up for its allies against any economic coercion from Beijing.

Australia has been the main target of China’s increasingly belligerent trade strikes over the past 12 months with beef, barley, wine, coal, seafood and timber industries all hit, costing the economy $3bn.

Reinforcing “very strong statements” from senior US foreign policy officers, Mr Goldman said the US “absolutely have Australia’s back” and praised the Morrison Government for being “clear eyed, forceful and confident” standing up to Beijing.

“I’d say just keep on doing what you’re doing but with confidence that the United States and other like minded democracies see an interest in having Australia succeed,” he said.

He said Australia’s example was providing leadership to large and small countries, showing them they could hold true to their values, principles and international friendships and “still prosper”.

The US is rebuilding its position in the world after alienating allies and partners under former US President Donald Trump. (Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP)

Acknowledging the US had alienated some allies and partners “unnecessarily” over the past four years under former President Donald Trump, Mr Goldman said the new administration would operate a “larger reinvigorated approach to foreign policy”.

“One thing that I’m struck by is the warm welcome and enthusiasm with which we’ve been welcomed back, we’re coming back with ambition but also with a degree of humility, and a willingness to listen,” he said.

On the pandemic, he said China had been “remarkably effective” managing the virus within it’s border but also tried to sell a narrative that liberal democracies were “chaotic and ill governed” so unable to handle a public health emergency.

“Without taking anything away from China’s effective response, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and Korea have demonstrated that open, democratic societies are fully capable of dealing with a public health emergency,” he said.

U.S. President Joe Biden will run a reinvigorated foreign policy. Pic: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images/AFP

Referencing a potential friction point on climate change between the Morrison and Biden governments, Mr Goldman said the US would encourage countries to be more ambitious in their “concrete climate targets”.

Mr Biden has pledged to reach net zero by 2050 while Mr Morrison has said it was his “preference” to meet the same goal.

But Mr Goldman said he saw “enormous convergence” between the countries wanting to promote a “technology driven path” and innovation towards lower emissions.

“The overlying point is that there are far more areas of convergence and co-operation, then there are areas of difference,” he said.