The ninth annual Lowy Institute Poll reports the results of a nationally representative survey of 1,002 Australian adults conducted by mobile and fixed-line telephone in Australia between 4 and 20 March 2013.

The 2013 Poll rated the major political parties on major foreign policy issues in the lead-up to the 2013 election. Other key issues in the Poll include: the comparative importance of China and the United States to Australia; support for the US alliance and US bases; attitudes towards China, the economy, boat arrivals and offshore processing; support for action on climate change, and views on the Afghanistan war, WikiLeaks and terrorism.

Key findings

• By a margin of more than two to one, Australians think the Coalition would do a better job than Labor on handling five of eight key foreign policy issues: managing the economy, foreign investment, asylum seekers, the US alliance and national security.
• 76% of Australians identify China as the most important economy to Australia at the moment (up 13 points since 2009), compared with 16% identifying the United States (down 11 points). However, more Australians place a higher value on our relationship with the United States (48% say the US is more important, compared with 37% saying China).
• Support for the US alliance remains extremely high at 82%, and basing US forces in Australia is an increasingly popular policy, favoured by 61% (up 6 points from 2011).