New leaders in the Indo-Pacific region -- Australia, South Korea and the Philippines -- will significantly impact the future trajectory of US-China relations. Their policy shifts, even nuances, could either moderate or harden the two powers' strategic rivalries.
It is clear that Australia, under new Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, will not let go of the strong US alliance as solidly laid down by his predecessor, Scott Morrison. But there are a few tweaks he needs to make if Australia is to be a moderating force in the Indo-Pacific and continues to benefit from China's growing economic power. Decoupling China from the Australian economic circuit would not be wise as it also hurts regional economies.
