Australia’s Maritime Strategy (1991-2009)

Australia’s the unique continental-island environment, the history of Britishcolonial influence and other factors establish its unique maritime strategy. After WorldWar II, Australia’s maritime strategy undergo the transition from attachment to UK tofollow the United States. Since the post-Cold war, the independent tendency ofAustralia’s maritime strategy constantly enhanced, and Australia became one of themain forces of the Southwest Pacific on the basis of continue relying Australia-USalliance. In response to the challenges of the1982United Nations Convention on theLaw of the Sea and the international situations changes, Australia government hasformulated “the marine industry development”,“the marine science and technologyplan” and other guidance documents, established the Marine Stewardship Council,overall planning, speeding the modernization of the Navy, building Coast Guard,improving the surrounding waters monitoring system, negotiated settlement of themaritime boundary delimitation disputes with neighboring countries, and activelyapplying200nautical miles continental shelf and constantly expanding the watersunder the jurisdiction of Australia.Since the post-Cold War, the adjustment of Australia’s maritime strategy isaffected heavily by the following factors. On the level of the international system,after the end of the Cold War, the international system had transformed form bipolarstructure to “only superpower and many powers”, and the security threat sense ofurgency declined; in the face of the acceleration of economic globalization andregional integration development, Australia’s maritime strategy has been enhanced inexpanding and independence, and tried to control the dominance of regional securityin the South Pacific region. On the regional level, with the rise of East of Asia,especially the rise of China, Australia and East Asia is increasing close economic andtrade relations. It resulted that Australia’s maritime strategy have to make a balancebetween relying the China on economy and depending the United States on security.On the domestic level, the legacy of colonial history produced path dependence,continent culture and other factors contributed to Australia’s maritime strategy withtypical middle-power color. Australia’s national security policy, national culture andparty politics jointly promoted Australia to accelerate the development in the field of marine.Australia is China’s important trade partner. Paying close attention to Australia’smaritime strategic adjustment and its development trend, it has important practicalsignificance for China to build the maritime security environment of China’s rise.Australia’s successful experience, such as actively initiating maritime multilateralsecurity cooperation and technology development, has a positive reference for Chinato develop marine powerful country strategy.