Observation
The public debate surrounding Australia’s ties to the world’s two largest economies — China and the United States — has only been sharpened by the Covid-19 pandemic, and Australians appear to be leaning towards the United States. In 2020, more than half of the adult Australian population (55%) say Australia’s relationship with the United States is more important than the relationship with China. Only four in ten Australians (40%) today say China is the more important relationship. The gap between the two superpowers on this question is now 15 points, where three years ago they were inseparable: in 2017, 45% said the US relationship was more important, compared with 43% choosing the China relationship.
However, there is a divide between young and older Australians on this issue. The majority of 18‒29-year-olds (54%) say the relationship with China is more important, while only 43% of that age group see the relationship with the United States as more important. By contrast, 57% of Australians aged over 30 see Australia’s relationship with the United States as more important, compared with 37% selecting China.