Defence

This paper starts from the premise that insufficient attention has been given to the potential ramifications for Australia of conflict in the East China Sea, particularly in terms of whether Australia’s alliance obligations with the United States could embroil Canberra in a conflict. The paper is motivated in part by Defence Minister Johnston’s June 2014 remarks stating that the ANZUS alliance would not commit Australia to a conflict where the US had sent forces to support Japan.

Tensions between the two historical great powers of East Asia, China and Japan, have ratcheted up in recent years to the point where their territorial dispute over islands in the East China Sea is increasingly regarded as this region’s most dangerous flashpoint.

Tensions between the two historical great powers of East Asia, China and Japan, have ratcheted up in recent years to the point where their territorial dispute over islands in the East China Sea is increasingly regarded as this region’s most dangerous flashpoint.