Instead of supporting the US tech war on China, the European Union could take the lead in finding pragmatic solutions to the security problems posed by new technologies that other states can implement.
Optimism about globalisation could be snuffed out for a long time, making the outlook for China and its deeply global value chains problematic. How China chooses to respond could deepen Western fears – or begin the long process of nurturing a new form of sustainable cooperation.
Any overreaction by China to this unremarkable alliance of traditional partners would only reinforce their current China ‘threat’ narratives. The nuclear submarine announcement could prove to be more about geopolitical posturing than anything else.
Australia has chosen a side, tying its future security to deeper integration into the US contest with China. No doubt this is a suitable arrangement for the US, but it raises several questions for Australia – not least what does it lose if the strategy fails?