Australia needs to lift its defence spending so it can be a better ally while pushing back against military actions from China, former prime minister Tony Abbott has urged while expressing hope the economic giant may become the world’s most benign superpower.
In an address last week to the Australia China Economics Trade and Culture Association, Abbott, who signed the free trade agreement between the two nations just months before losing the prime ministership in 2015, also urged continuing financial links between the countries while cautioning Australia had to broaden its dependence on China.