Recapping the dramatic Whitlam-Nixon openings to China of the 1970s—in which he participated—Ross Terrill’s new study finds themes for China policy today. Our Asia–Pacific region prospers, but the seas off China are not tranquil. American policies protect Australia, but they worry some Australians. Whitlam and Nixon cancelled decades of war in the Asia–Pacific, ushering in...

China’s rapid economic growth rates are accompanied by military advances, a quest for markets, diplomatic assertiveness and increased national pride. Ross Terrill urges clear thinking by Australians about the strength of the US, the place of deterrence, the ways Beijing's mercantilism differs from free-market approaches and whether an authoritarian China can be an enduringly strong...