Australia says in a new whitepaper that the country will not back down from its existing foreign policy values and alliances, despite the challenges posed by the rise of China and the feeling of uncertainty regarding the U.S. commitment to the region.
Since its release on Nov. 24, Australia’s 2017 foreign policy whitepaper has drawn the attention and a wide range of interpretations from international observers. Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who has risen to prominence under the current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the previous Tony Abbott government, says in the whitepaper’s forward that it is time for Australia to reiterate its international position since the country’s last comprehensive foreign policy review in 2003.
