Onslaught is forcing alliance’s evolution

THE Five Eyes alliance is expanding beyond its original mission to share intelligence between the security agencies of Australia, the US, the UK, Canada and New Zealand.

The agreement, now more than 70 years old, has helped maintain close ties between the five countries, all democracies with respect for the rules-based international order.

In recent years, the alliance has strayed beyond intelligence sharing and into domestic and economic policymaking. And a desire to push back against Chinese expansionism and aggression is turbocharging the evolution of the Five Eyes.

Japan has even suggested it could be included and become part of a new Six Eyes.

Using the Five Eyes to push back against China’s blatant use of coercive financial sanctions is attractive for Australia. As a middle power, it is more easily bullied than the US or the UK.

And Australia has weakened its position by become too dependent on China as a main market for our exports.

Retaliatory sanctions would not be popular with free trade supporters and those who still believe in the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, despite China trampling all over it.

Those with a more hawkish view would be delighted with the support of our big allies.

The US seems enthused by a potential Five Eyes bloc at the ready to tackle sanctions, with hints in the US media in recent weeks about an “informal alliance” prepared to jointly retaliate against Beijing.

The US has already had a trade war with China, while Canada, Australia and the UK have clashed with Beijing over security concerns involving Chinese telco Huawei. New Zealand, with a more neutral position on China, would likely find a collective retaliation more uncomfortable.