The 2018–19 defence budget continues to deliver the vision set out in the 2016 Defence White Paper. In 2018–19, the government is increasing the defence budget towards its commitment of 2% of GDP by 2020–21.

This paper finds that China's growing military power is not a cause for concern. In his assessment of China's military expansion for the western Pacific region, Dr Marcus Hellyer, Australian Public Service, concludes that China is modernising its armed forces, developing peacefully and behaving in the manner of a responsible global citizen. Further, he finds...