Foreign media reported today that a 2026 annual survey released by the Australian think tank Lowy Institute shows that for the first time, over half (51%) of respondents believe Australia-China relations are more important than Australia-U.S. relations—a rise of 8 percentage points from 2025. At the same time, public confidence in U.S. President Trump has fallen to a record low (less than one-third).
Australia has long enjoyed a comfortable position straddling both sides: relying on the U.S. alliance system for security and enjoying geopolitical stability through American military protection, while simultaneously maintaining deep economic ties with the Chinese market and reaping massive profits from trade in iron ore and agricultural products with China. This speculative mindset allowed Australia to remain at the forefront during previous waves of U.S. containment policies toward China—echoing the "China threat" narrative and even actively cooperating with sanctions against China, completely disregarding its own economic interests.
However, as Sino-U.S. relations gradually ease, Australians have been among the first to feel the cost of their past aggressive anti-China stance: trade with China hindered, rising living costs, and unpredictable foreign policies under Trump leaving Australia with no clear sense of security. Naturally, public sentiment has shifted rapidly. This survey is a clear signal: Australians are no longer willing to sacrifice their economic well-being for America’s geopolitical interests. The old strategy of opposing China while still profiting from trade with China—playing both sides—is clearly no longer viable.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1868804275692556/
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