Data shows shift in views towards Australia's relationship with the United States and ChinaBy Claudia WilliamsBy Isabella HigginsTopic:Foreign Affairs1h ago1 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 6:30pmVote Compass data shows 52.9 per cent of respondents believe Australia should spend much or somewhat more on its military. (ABC News: Emma Machan)abc.net.au/news/relationship-with-china-united-states-vote-compass-election/105211854Link copiedShareShare articleAfter three years of conflict, leadership changes and now trade wars, the views of many Australians towards the United States and China are shifting, Vote Compass data shows.About 47 per cent of Vote Compass respondents believe Australia should be less close to the US, about a third believe the relationship should stay the same and just over 17 per cent want it to be closer.In March, a poll by the Lowy Institute found Australians’ trust in the US to act responsibly had dropped since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, down 20 points compared to last year, to 36 per cent. Despite this, the poll found 80 per cent said the alliance with the United States was very or fairly important for Australia’s security. Read more about the federal election:How much Climate 200 has donated to 19 independentsCoalition tapping into community concerns about crime ahead of electionFind out how your views line up with the major parties with Vote CompassWant even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025 federal election coverageUnited States Studies Centre director of research Jared Mondschein said while polling indicated most Australians don't like Mr Trump, many support the alliance continuing. "I think that Australians really do see that the alliance is more than just the president, more than just one person, and it actually has implications for a broader array of issues," he said. Dr Mondschein said polling showed Australians felt more comfortable with the relationship with the US than China, despite "unprecedented uncertainty" in the US. Jared Mondschein said Australia has never been more consequential or influential in Washington, including in this Trump administration. (ABC News: Billy Cooper)When it comes to Australia's relationship with China, Vote Compass data shows respondents are split. About 32 per cent of respondents said Australia should deepen its ties with China, while about 34 per cent disagreed and about 30 per cent said they are neutral.James Laurenceson, who is the director of the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI) at the University of Technology Sydney, said the data suggested Australians understood the complexity of the relationship with China. Last year, a poll conducted by the institute found 61 per cent of Australians believed in building a strong relationship with China. The ACRI found 64 per cent of respondents expressed concerns about Australia's relationship with China — a 10-point drop from 2021."They recognise the benefits, including jobs for Australians. I think that nuance is well appreciated by the Australian public," Professor Laurenceson said. James Laurenceson believes there is a lack of deep understanding about the Australia-China relationship. (ABC News: Billy Cooper)However, Professor Laurenceson said he believed generally there was a lack of "deep understanding"."And simply, when you don't understand something particularly well, it's easy to be fearful," he said."On the other hand, when it comes to America, our news is full of American sources, we actually feel quite comfortable with that system, even if we don't always like the decision coming out of the White House."We understand it, but that's not true when it comes to China."In 2023, Anthony Albanese met with Xi Jinping in Beijing, which was the first visit to mainland China by a leader in seven years. (AAP: Lukas Coch)The ACRI poll found 61 per cent said Australia can enjoy a good relationship with both China and the US at the same time, while 38 per cent believed Australia's relationship with China weakens our alliance with the US.Dr Mondschein said Australia and the US were working more closely in the Indo-Pacific region and the views towards China have become more aligned between the US and its allies and partners. He said the US and its allies were also increasingly aligned on the importance of working together to face the challenge of China. Use Vote Compass now to find out where you stand in the Australian political landscapeData shows support for extra defence spendingLast week, the Coalition pledged to spend an additional $21 billion on the military between this year and 2030, if elected. It would increase overall defence spending to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) over the next five years, which is more ambitious than Labor's eight-year plan to lift defence spending to 2.3 per cent of GDP by 2033.Last week, Peter Dutton announced the Coalition would spend an additional $21 billion on the military if elected on May 3.
(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)Vote Compass data shows 52.9 per cent of respondents believe Australia should spend much or somewhat more on its military. This is up 11 percentage points from 2022 when 41.9 per cent said the government should spend more on defence.Dr Mondschein said given China's nuclear capacity and navy fleet had grown it was understandable Australia had changed its perception of what was required in the region. However, a survey of 1,500 Australians in February and April for the War Studies Research Group at UNSW Canberra found one third of respondents thought more money should be spent on defence, and the majority felt current spending was appropriate.Stay updated:Federal election live updates: Get the latest news from the campaign trailCatch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on ABC iview and ABC ListenUNSW Canberra's Richard Dunley said while the survey showed there was good support for the Australian Defence Force generally and reasonable support for its growth, that dropped when respondents were asked whether more money should be spent. "I think that you're definitely seeing both political parties here being kind of ahead of public opinion, or sort of pushing back against that kind of sentiment," he said.Vote Compass data shows 78 per cent of respondents intending to vote for the Coalition believe more should be spent on the military compared to 47 per cent of support among those voting for Labor.Dr Dunley said the UNSW survey showed support for an increase in defence spending was lowest among those aged 18 to 29, which may be on account of other pressures, including the cost of living."I think there's clearly been an effort to try and refocus on national security," he said."I just don't think that, from what we've seen in terms of these numbers, that is necessarily going to cut through with the electorate this time around."Vote Compass is an educational tool designed to promote electoral literacy and civic engagement. While not a conventional public opinion poll, Vote Compass responses can be analysed using statistical methods similar to those used in polling to try to adjust for sampling bias.Responses have been weighted by gender, age, education, language, religion, place of residence and past vote to account for the selection effects of the sample, enabling us to make statistical inferences about the Australian population.Posted 1h ago1 hours agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 6:30pmShare optionsCopy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Top StoriesAustralia faces a 'lonelier' world with rules-based order crumblingTopic:National SecurityPhoto shows Two men wearing glasses and suits behind the backdrop of the world map.China takes back seat in vote, though risks shaping policyTopic:Foreign AffairsPhoto shows A man in a suit, Xi Jinping, waves at camera.There's a reason Dutton can't resort to a scare campaign with older AustraliansAAnalysis by Annabel CrabbPhoto shows Peter DuttonFinal campaign dash as Albanese sweats on Dutton suburban fightbackTopic:ElectionsPhoto shows Anthony Albanese takes a selfie with the public on a street.'What I feel is left out': The growing pains of Australia's newest suburbsTopic:Housing PolicyPhoto shows A man stands with his arms crossed in front of a house next to an empty lot. Related storiesSee how your views align with the major parties through Vote CompassTopic:ExplainerPhoto shows The blue-and-white Vote compass logo: The words, with a tick through the "o" of "Vote".Coalition warns Australia can't take US alliance for granted under TrumpTopic:Defence ForcesPhoto shows a young male politician speaking in front of a blue backgroundHas Trump bitten off more than he can chew in a US-China trade war?IAnalysis by Ian VerrenderPhoto shows A close up shot of Donald Trump looking at Xi Jinping.Related topicsAustraliaAustralian Federal ElectionsForeign AffairsTop StoriesAustralia faces a 'lonelier' world with rules-based order crumblingTopic:National SecurityPhoto shows Two men wearing glasses and suits behind the backdrop of the world map.China takes back seat in vote, though risks shaping policyTopic:Foreign AffairsThere's a reason Dutton can't resort to a scare campaign with older AustraliansAAnalysis by Annabel CrabbFinal campaign dash as Albanese sweats on Dutton suburban fightbackTopic:Elections'What I feel is left out': The growing pains of Australia's newest suburbsTopic:Housing PolicyJust InA constellation of conservative groups has altered the campaign landscapeTopic:Elections6m ago6 minutes agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 8:04pmHolmes à Court fuels movement that denies he'll have seat at the tableTopic:Political Parties and Movements7m ago7 minutes agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 8:03pmWhy you should consider using AI if you've been avoiding itTopic:Explainer4m ago4 minutes agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 8:06pmFirst Nations leaders want politicians to combat 'deepening division' in Indigenous issues14m ago14 minutes agoTue 29 Apr 2025 at 7:56pmMore Just InBack to top