US ambassador’s message for Morrison: ‘embrace power role in Pacific’

New US ambassador Arthur Culvahouse has called on Australia to play “a great leadership role’’ in the region.

Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr at the US embassy in Canberra yesterday, having brought up 100 days as ambassador to Australia. Picture: Kym Smith

New US ambassador Arthur ­Culvahouse has called on Australia to play “a great power leadership role” in the Pacific, saying he expects Scott Morrison will ­increasingly call out “malign influences” in the region as China ­increases pressure on vulnerable nations through its Belt and Road Initiative.

Mr Culvahouse said the US, not China, was Australia’s most important economic partner with $1.6 trillion in two-way investment, and declared both nations needed to protect critical technology from “impermissible and pernicious theft” by Beijing.

In an interview to mark his first 100 days in the role, Mr Culvahouse reaffirmed the “solemn and unbreakable” nature of the ­Australia-US alliance, and declared the US would “absolutely” come to Australia’s aid if it were threatened by a foreign power.

He also stepped up previous criticism of the BRI, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy initiative, branding it a “lose, lose, lose” proposition for developing nations across the ­region.

The Donald Trump appointee and adviser to Republican presidents since Richard Nixon said his mission as ambassador was to ­refresh the US’s relationship with Australia and cement it for ­decades to come by engaging with Australia’s future leaders and ­innovators.

Amid growing emphasis by the Prime Minister on his “Pacific step up”, Mr Culvahouse said the US had “immense confidence” in Australia’s standing in the region, with “expertise and relationships and sensitivities that exceed ours”.

“We believe Australia can and should play a great power leadership role in the region,” Mr Culvahouse told The Australian yesterday.

“It’s Australia’s area. You’re a little more nimble and subtle than we are. We are not abdicating our role, by any means. But we want to pay particular attention to the Australian leadership role in our region.”

A week after Mr Morrison praised China’s “economic miracle” while backing US attacks on Chinese trade practices and intellectual property theft, Mr Culvahouse expressed confidence that the Prime Minister would increasingly call out bad behaviour by Beijing.

“We think the natural course is the Australian government, as it goes forward, will be even more supportive of US policy in the ­Pacific and that may include calling out malign influences where they see them,” he said.

As Mr Trump and Mr Xi battle for influence and economic ­supremacy in the Indo-Pacific, Mr Culvahouse dismissed suggestions that US power in the region was on the wane, and with it the value of the Australia-US alliance.

He said the pivot to Asia announced by former Democrat president Barack Obama was “now becoming a reality” under Mr Trump, with more “soft and hard power” resources directed towards the Indo-Pacific.

Mr Culvahouse said the US and Australia, together with allies such as Japan and New Zealand, were “marshalling our forces to offer alternatives” to the BRI. He noted the recent commitment by those countries to roll out electricity and internet coverage to 70 per cent of Papua New Guinea’s population.

“This region does need infrastructure. But it also needs good governance, respect for sovereignty,” he said.

Mr Culvahouse said China’s hacking of technology secrets was “common law theft”, and criticised the infiltration of Western universities by People’s Liberation Army scholars seeking quick access to dual-use innovations.

“We have got to do a better job of protecting our national security interests,” Mr Culvahouse said.

“Your country and my country have tens of millions of dollars and decades of investment in these areas, and it is just impermissible that someone, through a so-called academic exchange, or doing a doctorate or dissertation, can pilfer that information and use it against us.”

Mr Culvahouse said the US ­remained concerned about the 99-year lease of the Port of ­Darwin to Chinese company Landbridge, and welcomed strengthened foreign investment rules following the decision.

A recent Lowy Institute poll found 73 per cent of Australians believed the US would come to Australia’s defence if it was under threat. However, some analysts believe the alliance is becoming less relevant and Australia needs to focus more on defending itself.

In his new book, How To Defend Australia, ANU professor of strategic studies Hugh White says the alliance “will weaken, and quite possibly disappear” as a result of “America’s declining position in Asia”.

While the language in the ANZUS Treaty falls short of the guarantee between NATO ­nations that an attack on one “shall be considered an attack against them all”, Mr Culvahouse declared Australia could rely on the US if it came under threat.

“I come out here well instructed after a series of consultations at the highest levels of the United States government, and our commitments are solemn and unbreakable and profound,” the ambassador said.

“This region is fundamental to the United States … and we are committed to the region as much as we have ever been.” Mr Culvahouse has recently completed a tour of every state and territory, meeting every premier and chief minister. Before the election he also got to know the federal frontbench teams of both major parties. He conceded he spent much of his time assuring those he met that “America first” did not mean “America only”.

“Part of that is on us, I think,” Mr Culvahouse said. “Many Australians know that China is your largest trading partner. Not enough realise that the United States is far and away your largest and most important economic partner. In terms of Australian exports — coal, iron ore, LNG — to China, it is roughly 30-35 per cent of your exports. But if you look at total economic engagement, which is not only exports but foreign direct investment — 20 per cent of the capital that is raised by Australian companies is raised by the United States. All in, it’s quite substantial. And unfortunately, maybe a little too invisible.”

Mr Culvahouse said that during his time as ambassador he wanted to meet fewer of the “usual suspects”, and more “young edgier” innovators and future leaders.

“What we want to be doing today is talking to the young people who will be sitting in the C-suites, the ministries, in government roles, 20 to 30 years from now. If we’re not, we are not doing our job,” he said.

Mr Culvahouse, 71, brings to the role decades of experience as a lawyer and adviser to presidents.

He was in the Oval Office when Nixon discussed the infamous Watergate tapes, and stood next to Ronald Reagan at the Brandenburg Gate when he declared “Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall”. One of his prized possessions is a piece of the Berlin Wall that he chipped away himself with a rented hammer and chisel.