foreign relations of Australia

Foreign relations of Australia are influenced by its position as a leading trading nation and as a significant donor of humanitarian aid. Australia's foreign policy is guided by a commitment to multilateralism and regionalism, as well as to build strong bilateral relations with its allies. Key concerns include free trade, terrorism, refugees, economic co-operation with Asia and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Australia is active in the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations. Given its history of starting and supporting important regional and global initiatives, it has been described as a regional middle power par excellence.

It maintains significant ties with ASEAN and has become steadfastly allied with New Zealand, through long-standing ties dating back to the 1800s. The country also has a longstanding alliance with the United States of America. Over recent decades Australia has sought to strengthen its relationship with Asian countries, with this becoming the focus of the country's network of diplomatic missions. In 2021, Australia signed a significant security treaty with the United Kingdom and the United States of America ( AUKUS) aimed at countering the growing threat of China in the region.

History

Before the Second World War, Australia saw its economic and military security assured by being a loyal dominion of the British Empire and generally sought to align its diplomatic policies with those of the British Government. Although Australia, like other British Dominions, was a signatory to the Treaty of Versailles and a member of the League of Nations, the British Government handled most of Australia's diplomatic exchanges outside the Empire. The approach of the Second World War saw the first steps by Australia in establishing its own diplomatic network, particularly with economically and politically important countries of the Pacific Rim. The first accredited diplomat sent to a foreign country was Richard Casey, appointed as the first Minister to the United States in January 1940. This was followed shortly after by the arrival of the first Australian high commissioner to Canada, and by appointments of Ministers to Japan in 1940 and China in 1941. With the entry of Japan into the war in December 1941 and the consequent heightened vulnerability of Australia to attack, a critical decision was made by the Curtin Government to more closely seek the military protection of the United States. Since that time, United States has been the most important security ally. The close security relationship with the United States was formalized in 1951 by the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security (ANZUS) Treaty which remains the cornerstone of Australian security arrangements.

During and after the Second World War, and in parallel with the evolution of the British Empire to the Commonwealth of Nations, Australia progressively took responsibility for fully managing its foreign relations with other states. Australia concluded an agreement in 1944 with New Zealand dealing with the security, welfare, and advancement of the people of the dependent territories of the Pacific (the ANZAC pact). Australia was one of the founders of the United Nations (1945) and the South Pacific Commission (1947), and in 1950, it proposed the Colombo Plan to assist developing countries in Asia. After the war, Australia played a role in the Far Eastern Commission in Japan and supported Indonesian independence during that country's revolt against the Dutch (1945–49).

As the Cold War deepened, Australia aligned itself fully with the Western Powers. In addition to contributing to UN forces in the Korean War – it was the first country to announce it would do so after the United States – Australia sent troops to assist in putting down the communist revolt in Malaya in 1948–60 and later to combat the Indonesian-supported invasion of Sarawak in 1963–65. Australia sent troops to repel communism and assist South Vietnamese and American forces in the Vietnam War, in a move that stirred up antiwar activism at home. Australia has been active in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, and in the Australia – New Zealand – United Kingdom agreement and the Five Power Defence Arrangement—successive arrangements with Britain and New Zealand to ensure the security of Singapore and Malaysia.

After the end of the Cold War, Australia remained an important contributor to UN peacekeeping missions and to other multilateral security missions, often in alliance with the United States. Notably, it joined coalition forces in the Persian Gulf War in 1991, the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021), the Iraq War of 2003-2011 and the War in Iraq (2013-2017). In 1999 Australian peace keeping forces intervened in East Timor following its referendum to secede from Indonesia. In 2006 Australia sent a contingent of Australian troops to the state to assist in the 2006 East Timor crisis. Australia has also most recently led security assistance, peacekeeping and policing missions elsewhere in its neighbourhood, including in the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Tonga.

In the late 20th Century and early 21st Century, a new element in Australia's foreign relations was the growing relationship with the People's Republic of China. After the establishment of diplomatic relations in December 1972, Sino-Australian relations grew rapidly, to a point where China became Australia's main trading partner and extensive official and people-to-people links were well established. In the first 15 years of the 21st Century, Australia maintained privileged relations with both the United States and China. Since 2017, Sino-Australian relations have deteriorated dramatically, as a result of Australian criticism of policies and actions taken under General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping. This has strongly influenced recent Australian bilateral and multi-lateral engagements such as the Pacific Step-Up with Pacific Island states, the development of comprehensive strategic partnerships with a number of regional states, and the pursuit of alliances directed at countering Chinese predominance in the Indo-Pacific region. Since 2017, existing security arrangements have been augmented by a revived Quadrilateral Security Dialogue involving India, Japan and United States, the 2021 AUKUS security pact with the United States and United Kingdom and the 2022 Australia-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement, which provides for closer Australian-Japanese cooperation on defense and humanitarian operations.

International agencies, treaties, and agreements

Membership of International Organizations and Groupings

One of the drafters of the UN Charter, Australia has given firm support to the United Nations system. Australia held the first Presidency of the Security Council in 1946 and provided the first military observers under UN auspices a year later, to Indonesia. It has been a member of the Security Council a further four times, in 1956–57, 1973–74, 1986–87 and 2013–14. It has been regularly elected a member of the Economic and Social Council most recently for 2020–22, a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2018-20 and its predecessor the UN Commission on Human Rights in the 1990s. Australia takes a prominent part in many other UN activities, including peacekeeping, disarmament negotiations, and narcotics control. In September 1999, acting under a UN Security Council mandate, Australia led an international coalition to restore order in East Timor upon Indonesia's withdrawal from that territory. Australia has also been closely engaged in international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance through the Specialized agencies, Funds and Programmes and Regional Commissions of the United Nations and major International Financial Institutions, in particular the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Australia is a member of the G20, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the APEC forum. It is active in meetings of the Commonwealth Heads of Government, the Pacific Islands Forum and other Pacific Islands regional organizations and the Indian Ocean Rim Association. It has been a leader in the Cairns Group – countries pressing for agricultural trade reform in the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiations. Australia is also a member of MIKTA, an informal and diverse middle power partnership between Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia, led by its foreign ministers, which seeks to promote an effective, rules-based global order.

Australia has devoted particular attention in the early 21st century to promoting regional architecture centered around the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to support dialogue on political, security and economic challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Australia is an active participant in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the ASEAN sponsored East Asia Summit. Australia's place at the 2005 inaugural summit was only secured after it agreed to reverse its policy and accede to ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. Australia had been reluctant to sign the treaty out of concerns regarding how it would affect Australia's obligation under other treaty arrangements including ANZUS.

Security treaties

Special Strategic Partnership

*Japan (as of 2014)

Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Australia has a formal Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the following countries and multi-national organizations.
*India (as of 2020)
*Singapore (as of 2016)
*Indonesia (as of 2018)
*Malaysia (as of 2021)
*South Korea (as of 2021)
*ASEAN (as of 2021)

Trade

Overall Australia's largest trading partners are the United States, South Korea, Japan, China, and the United Kingdom. Australia currently has bilateral Free Trade Agreements with New Zealand, the United States, Thailand and Singapore as of 2007 and the United Kingdom as of 2021. As well as this, Australia is in the process undertaking studies on Free Trade Agreements with ASEAN, China, Chile, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
* Australia–Chile Free Trade Agreement
* Australia–China Free Trade Agreement
* Australia–Korea Free Trade Agreement
* Australia–New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement
* Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement
* Australia–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement
* Australia–Fiji Free Trade Agreement

Armaments

To bolster its foreign policy, Australia maintains a very well-equipped military,
According to SIPRI, Australia is the fourth largest importer of major weapons in the world. The US supplied 60 per cent of Australia's imports and Spain 29 per cent. All armed services have received new major arms in 2014–18, but mainly aircraft and ships. The F-35 combat aircraft and antisubmarine warfare aircraft from the USA made up 53 per cent of Australian arms imports in 2014–18, while ships from Spain accounted for 29 per cent. Large deliveries for additional aircraft and ships are outstanding.

Australia is modernising its armed forces but also acquiring weapons that significantly increase its long-range capabilities. Among the weapons imported in 2010–14 were 5 tanker aircraft and the first of 2 amphibious assault ships from Spain, along with 2 large transport aircraft and 4 airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft from the USA. Australia also received 26 combat aircraft from the US, with 82 more on order (see box 3), as well as 8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the US and 3 Hobart destroyers from Spain. Australia's imports of major weapons increased 37 percent between 2010–2014 and 2014–18, making it the fourth largest importer in the world according to SIPRI.

In 2021, after Australia ended its 20-year military mission in Afghanistan, the defence officials held formal talks on strengthening military ties with the United Arab Emirates. However, the human rights groups said that it was "very concerning" to witness, as the Emirates was accused of carrying out "unlawful attacks" in war-torn nations like Libya and Yemen.

In December 2021, Australia signed a defence procurement deal with South Korea worth $1billion AUD (US$720 million) for modern artillery, supply trucks and radars supplied by South Korean defense company Hanwha. The South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison met for the signing of the agreement and additionally announced they were formally upgrading the Australian-South Korean relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership."

Foreign missions

Australia has diplomatic missions in over 110 locations in the form of embassies, high commissions and consulates. As of 2011, Australia had established formal diplomatic relations with all members of the United Nations as well as the Holy See, Kosovo, Cook Islands and (in 2013) Niue. In many cases, diplomatic relations are maintained on a non-resident basis, with the Australian ambassador or high commissioner based in another country. Since 2012, diplomatic relations have been effectively suspended with the Syrian Arab Republic, with no diplomatic accreditation by either country maintained, but consular relations continue. In the case of Afghanistan, following the Taliban takeover in 2021, diplomatic relations are in an ambiguous status with Australia "temporarily" closing its embassy in Kabul and not recognizing the Islamic Emirate government but maintaining the credentials of the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Canberra. A number of Canadian missions provide consular assistance to Australians in countries in Africa where Australia does not maintain an office (and Australia reciprocates this arrangement for Canada in some other countries) through the Canada-Australia Consular Services Sharing Agreement.

Due to the One China Policy of the People's Republic of China, the Australian Office in Taiwan (formerly the Australian Commerce and Industry Office) unofficially represents Australia's interest in Taiwan, serving a function similar to other Australian Consulates.

Bilateral relations

Africa

Americas

* Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
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, , , 14 March 1966, , See Australia–Mexico relations

The two APEC members Australia and Mexico celebrated the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2006. Cooperation expansions recently has resulted in several commercial outcomes, including bilateral double taxation agreements signed in 2004, a memorandum of understanding on mining (MOU) in 2002, an MOU on Training and Education signed in 2003 an MOU on energy in 2005 and in August 2005 an MOU on investment protection and promotion agreement. Two-way trade is worth A$3 billion.

* Australia has an embassy in Mexico City.
* Mexico has an embassy in Canberra.
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, , , 1987, ,
* Australia and Nicaragua established diplomatic relations in 1987.
* Australia is accredited to Nicaragua from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico.
* Nicaragua is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Tokyo, Japan.
* Bilateral merchandise trade is modest. In 2019-20 this was valued at A$18.6 million, half of which was Australian imports of coffee.

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, , , 1974, ,
* Australia and Panama established diplomatic relations in 1974.
* Australia is accredited to Panama from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico. It has an honorary consulate in Panama City.
* Panama opened an embassy in Canberra in 2018. It also has an honorary consulate-general in Sydney.
* Bilateral merchandise trade is modest. In 2019-20 this reached A$80 million, mostly Australian exports of manufactured articles.
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, , , 30 November 1974, , See Australia–Paraguay relations
* Australia and Paraguay established diplomatic relations in 1974, with the first non-resident Australian ambassador presenting his credentials on 2 December 1974.
* Australia is accredited to Paraguay from its embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It has an honorary consulate in Asuncion.
* Paraguay opened an embassy in Canberra in 2011.
* As agricultural producers and exporters, the two countries work together to achieve fairer international trade in agricultural products through membership of the Cairns Group and co-operation in other multilateral fora. Australia is also increasing its engagement with Paraguay through development co-operation and people-to-people exchanges. An increasing number of Paraguayan students are pursuing their education at Australian institutions.

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, , , 1 March 1963, ,
The two APEC members have worked together on a wide range of issues. The two countries have mutual interests. In 2006 the Australian Bureau of Meteorology signed a memorandum of understanding to help with the El Niño and La Niña weather patterns. Another memorandum of understanding was signed on co-operation with education. With goodwill the Peruvian congress signed a Peru Australia Friendship league in 2004. Trade ties are strong and are growing. Many big mining companies have offices in Peru.
* Australia has an embassy in Lima.
* Peru has an embassy in Canberra.
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, , , 6 February 1986, ,
* Australia and Saint Kitts and Nevis enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Formal diplomatic relations were established with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first non-resident high commissioner on 6 February 1986.
* Australia is accredited to St Kitts and Nevis from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
* St Kitts and Nevis have not yet established diplomatic representation in Australia.
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, , , 1982, ,
* Australia and Saint Lucia enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket.
* Diplomatic relations were established in 1982.
* Australia is accredited to Saint Lucia from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
* Saint Lucia has not yet established diplomatic representation in Australia.

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, , , 31 January 1986, ,
* Australia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and sporting ties, particularly cricket. Formal diplomatic relations were established with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first non-resident high commissioner on 31 January 1986.
* Australia is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from its High Commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
* Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have not yet established representation in Australia.

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, , , 19 January 1996, ,
Both countries established diplomatic relations on 3 February 1994.
* Australia is accredited to Suriname from its high commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
* Suriname is accredited to Australia from its embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.
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, , , 7 January 1974, ,

* Australia and Trinidad and Tobago enjoy good relations, with political links through shared membership of the Commonwealth of Nations and have sporting ties, particularly cricket.
* Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were announced on 7 January 1974.
* Australia has a high commission in Port of Spain which is also accredited on a non-resident basis to other Commonwealth Caribbean countries.
* Trinidad and Tobago has not yet established representation in Australia.
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, , , 8 January 1940
,
See Australia–United States relations

While Australia has emphasised its relationship with the United States since 1942, as Britain's influence in Asia declined. At the governmental level, United-States-Australia relations are formalized by the ANZUS treaty and the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement.
* Australia has an embassy in Washington, D.C. and has consulates-general in Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco.
* United States has an embassy in Canberra and consulates-general in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
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, , , 1957, , See Australia–Uruguay relations

* Australia is accredited to Uruguay from its embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina and maintains an honorary consulate in Montevideo.
* Uruguay has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney.
* Australia and Uruguay share an interest in the Antarctic waters and the fisheries therein.
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, , , 31 May 1973, ,

* Australia and Venezuela established diplomatic relations on 31 May 1973.
* Australia is currently accredited to Venezuela from its embassy in Mexico City, Mexico.
* Venezuela has an embassy in Canberra.
* During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s Australian governments were keen to promote expanded trade and investment between the two countries. Australia maintained an embassy in Caracas from 1979 until 2002. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Tim Fischer visited Caracas in June 1996 and as a result a number of key areas for development were identified including the mining, agriculture and maritime sectors. However progress has been constrained by political and economic instability in Venezuela, particularly since the launch of the Bolivarian Revolution by President Hugo Chávez .
* Bilateral trade is currently small, amounting to about A$20 million in 2020, mostly related to export of educational services to Venezuelan students. Australia's investment interests in Venezuela have focussed on the mining and related services sectors.
* There is a small Venezuelan community in Australia, expanded by skilled immigration since 2005. The 2016 Australian census recorded 5,460 Venezuela-born people in Australia.
* Notwithstanding Australia's decision in January 2019 to formally recognise Juan Guaidó as interim President of Venezuela, the embassy in Canberra representing the Nicolás Maduro Government has remained fully accredited.

Asia

" Embassy of Afghanistan to Australia. Retrieved 3 July 2021]
* Diplomatic relations were suspended between the 1978 coup which deposed President Mohammed Daoud Khan and the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2002. However consular relations were re-established in 1994 with the opening of an Afghan honorary consulate in Australia by the government of the Islamic State of Afghanistan. The consulate continued operation after the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 1996.
* In late 2001, the Australian Defence Force commenced Operation Slipper as Australia's contribution to assist the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force mission in the War in Afghanistan and the War on Terror to combat the Taliban and their allied groups. The operation ended on 31 December 2014 and was replaced with Operation Highroad, which commenced on 1 January 2015 to assist the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission. Australia completed a withdrawal of its remaining troops based in Afghanistan in June 2021
* Diplomatic relations resumed in 2002. An Afghan embassy was opened in Canberra in July 2002 by the Interim Afghan administration of Hamid Karzai. The same year, Australia resumed its non-resident accreditation from Islamabad.
* An Australian embassy was opened in Kabul in 2006. It has been closed since the end of May 2021.
* A Comprehensive Long-term Partnership Between Australia and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was signed in 2012 to provide the framework for Australian development assistance and the promotion of political, security, economic, social and cultural ties between the two nations.
* Between 2001 and 2021, Australia provided more than $1.5 billion in Official Development Assistance to Afghanistan
* Australia has also accepted many Afghan refugees, with the first wave following the Soviet invasion in 1979. According to the 2016 Australian census 46,800 Australians were born in Afghanistan - see Afghan Australians.
* President Ashraf Ghani made the first visit to Australia by an Afghan head of state in April 2017. Governors-General Quentin Bryce, Peter Cosgrove and David Hurley and successive Prime Ministers visited Afghanistan in the period when Australian troops were stationed there.
* Since the Taliban victory in 2021, Australia has not recognized the Islamic Emirate government and continues to accredit the embassy of the Islamic Republic in Canberra.
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, , , align=15 January 1992
, See Armenia–Australia relations
The first Armenians migrated to Australia in the 1850s, during the gold rush.
The majority came to Australia in the 1960s, starting with the Armenians of Egypt after Nasser came to power then, in the early 1970s, from Cyprus after the Turkish occupation of the island and from 1975 until 1992, a period of civil unrest in Lebanon.
Person-to-person governmental links are increasing although they are still modest. In September 2003, The Hon Mr Philip Ruddock MP visited Armenia in his former capacity as Australian Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. In October 2005, the Armenian Foreign Minister, H.E. Mr Vardan Oskanyan, visited Australia. In November 2005, The Hon Mr Joe Hockey MP, Minister for Human Services, visited Armenia.
The Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia has not passed a motion recognising the mass murder of Armenians in 1915 as genocide, although the State of NSW has done so. The Australian Government elections of 2007 created an atmosphere in which the Opposition Labor party declared it will push for the Recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Australian Parliament if Labor wins the Elections.
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, , , 19 June 1992, , See Australia–Azerbaijan relations
* The Australian government recognized Azerbaijan's independence on 26 December 1991.
* Australia and Azerbaijan established diplomatic relations in June 1992.
* Australia is accredited to Azerbaijan from its embassy in Ankara, Turkey.
* Azerbaijan has an embassy in Canberra.
*In February 2020, the government of Azerbaijan provided material assistance to Australia to combat the impact of forest fires.
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, , , 13 April 1987, ,

* Australia has long standing ties with Bahrain that predate its full independence in 1971. Australia maintained a consulate-general in Manama from 1964 to 1986.
* Formal diplomatic relations were established in April 1987 with the presentation of credentials of Australia's first non-resident ambassador.
* Australia's ambassador is accredited from Riyadh and Bahrain's ambassador is accredited from Jakarta.
* Bahrain is an important trading partner for Australia. In 2018–19, Australian merchandise exports were worth $1.43 billion. Australia's exports mainly comprised alumina, meat, dairy products and wheat.
* Bahrain provides port access to Australian naval ships.
* The two countries participate in the Australia, Bahrain and Israel Food Security Initiative under the 2020 Abraham Accords.
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, , , 15 March 1972, , See Australia–Bangladesh relations

* Australia was the fourth country, and the first in the developed world, to recognise Bangladesh's independence in 1971. A high commission was opened in Dhaka and relations have been warm since then. A Bangladeshi High Commission was opened in the former North Korean embassy in Canberra.
* In 2008, Bangladesh signed a bilateral counter-terrorism MOU with Australia, their first with any country.
* The number of Bangladeshis in Australia has increased in recent years.
* Bangladesh is a significant recipient of foreign aid from Australia.
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, , , 14 September 2002, ,

* Relations between Bhutan and Australia date back to 1962 when Bhutan was just emerging from self-imposed isolation and starting to engage with the rest of the world. Australia's support at the time was instrumental in Bhutan being admitted as a member of the Colombo Plan. Subsequently, Australia was among the first countries to support and welcome Bhutan's membership to the United Nations in 1971.
* Australia and Bhutan established formal diplomatic relations on 14 September 2002.
* Australia's ambassador is accredited from New Delhi
* Bhutan established a resident embassy in Canberra in September 2021, having previously accredited its ambassador from Bangkok. Bhutan also has an honorary consulate in Sydney.
* According to the 2016 Australian Census, 5,953 people reported their birthplace as Bhutan. These include Bhutanese refugees having arrived in Australia since 2008 under the Humanitarian Resettlement Program.
* Australia is a modest trade and development cooperation partner to Bhutan. Total Australian Official Development Assistance to Bhutan in 2019-20 was budgeted for A$6.4 million.
* In October 2016, LyonchhenTshering Tobgay made the first visit by a Bhutanese Prime Minister to Australia.
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, , , 1 January 1984, , See Australia–Brunei relations

* Australia's High commission is situated in Brunei's capital Bandar Seri Begawan while Brunei's High commission is located in Australia's capital Canberra.
* Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
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, , , 15 January 1952, , See Australia–Cambodia relations

* Australia has an embassy in Phnom Penh and Cambodia has an embassy in Canberra.
* Diplomatic relations between Australia and Cambodia were established in 1952 with the appointment of an Australian Minister, resident in Saigon. An Australian legation was opened in Phnom Penh in 1955.
* Diplomatic relations were raised to Ambassadorial level in 1959. Australia maintained relations with the Khmer Republic following the military coup of 1970. The Australian embassy closed in 1975 ahead of the fall of Phnom Penh to the Khmer Rouge on 17 April 1975. That day, Australia recognized the Royal Government of National Union of Kampuchea, soon replaced by the fully Khmer Rouge-controlled government of Democratic Kampuchea, but diplomatic relations were effectively suspended during the entire period of Khmer Rouge rule.
* In solidarity with ASEAN countries, Australia did not recognize the People's Republic of Cambodia following the 1979 Vietnamese invasion, and continued to recognize the Democratic Kampuchea government-in-exile. However, it withdrew recognition on 14 February 1981 in response to information about the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge.
* Australia played a leading role in the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia in the early 1990s. In November 1991, Australia's diplomatic presence in Phnom Penh resumed with the appointment of a Permanent Representative to the Supreme National Council of Cambodia, upgraded in 1993 to Ambassador to the restored Royal Government of Cambodia.
* Australia has been a substantial contributor to Cambodian development projects since the early 1990s. Cambodia and Australia signed a controversial refugee resettlement deal in September 2014.
* There are over 66,000 people of Cambodian origin living in Australia (2016 Census). Cambodian refugees began arriving in Australia after the Khmer Rouge regime gained power in 1975, with numbers peaking in the 1980s. Approximately 6,000-7,000 Australians reside in Cambodia, most being dual Cambodian-Australian citizens or expatriates involved in development assistance work or business.
* The two-way trade relationship is modest ($752 million in 2019) but has been growing quickly. Australia and Cambodia are parties to the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
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, , , 21 December 1972, , See Australia–China relations

* Australia and the People's Republic of China established formal diplomatic relations on 21 December 1972.
* Australia has an embassy in Beijing and consulates-general in Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenyang.
* China has an embassy in Canberra and consulates-general in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.
* The Australia-China relationship has traditionally been dominated by global geopolitical and strategic concerns, but since the 1980s the bilateral relationship has grown dramatically based on strong economic and trade complementarities and longstanding community and cultural links.
* Significant Chinese migration started in the middle of the nineteenth century and Chinese now form the second largest migrant community in Australia/ The 2016 Australian census recorded 509,555 China-born people in Australia.
* Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's 1973 diplomatic trip was the first visit to China by an Australian Prime Minister This was followed over the years by regular visits of China's Paramount leaders and Premiers and Australia's Governors-General and Prime Ministers as the relationship deepened. On two occasions, in 2003 and 2014, China's Paramount leaders have accepted rare invitations to address the Australian Parliament.
* In 2014, the Australian Prime Minister and Chinese President agreed to describe the relationship as a "comprehensive strategic partnership" A China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) entered into force in December 2015. China is Australia's largest two-way trading partner in goods and services. In 2020 Australia accounted for $53.5 billion (2.1%) of China's exports, ranking 13th among its top trade partners. Prior to travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia was a major destination for Chinese tourists and students.
* The relationship has been strained from time to time, such as in 1989-90 following the suppression of the Tiananmen Square Protests, and in the late 1990s at a time when China-US relations were being affected by a number of disagreements, with Australia supporting the US positions. Beginning in mid-2017, the relationship has significantly deteriorated. Points of friction include Australia's ban on Huawei's participation in the implementation of a 5G network on national security grounds; new Australian foreign investment and anti-espionage laws; Australian criticism of China in relation to its stance on the South China Sea dispute, the treatment of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and changes in electoral and security laws in Hong Kong; a new defence pact between Australia and Japan and reactivation of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue with the United States, Japan and India; Australia's lead in calling for an independent international investigation into the origins of COVID-19; and the formation of AUKUS in September 2021, under which the US and the UK will help Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. By 2020 China had suspended all high-level diplomatic and trade dialogue channels and halted trade in a number of economically important sectors.
* In July 2019, the UN ambassadors from 22 nations, including Australia, signed a joint letter to the UNHRC condemning China's mistreatment of the Uyghurs as well as its mistreatment of other minority groups, urging the Chinese government to close the Xinjiang re-education camps.
* In November 2020 the Chinese embassy in Australia released to the media a long list of grievances, which were promptly rejected by the Australian Government. Through 2021 and much of 2022, relations between the two countries remained tense. Following the election of the Albanese government in May 2022, leader and ministerial contacts have modestly restarted.
* Australians` trust in China has plunged. The 2021 Lowy Institute Poll, released in June 2021, found only 16 per cent of Australian respondents trusted China "a great deal" or "somewhat" to act responsibly in the world – a third of the number from 2018.
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, , , 20 May 2002, , See Australia–East Timor relations

Australia and East Timor are near neighbours with close political and trade ties. East Timor, one of the poorest countries in Asia, lies about northwest of the Australian city of Darwin and Australia has played a prominent role in the young republic's history. Australia led the military force that helped stabilise the country after it chose independence from Indonesia in 1999 and has been a major source of aid since.
* Australia has an embassy in Dili.
* East Timor has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate general in Sydney.
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, , , 16 July 1992, ,

* Australia recognised Georgia's independence and established diplomatic relations in 1992.
* Australia's embassy in Turkey is accredited to Georgia. Georgia has an embassy in Canberra and an honorary consulate in Melbourne.
* In 2008 Australia provided $1 million in humanitarian aid to Georgia in the aftermath of the Russo-Georgian War. Australia has supported Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity in international fora and does not recognize the breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia established with Russian support.
* There is a small community of Georgian-born people in Australia and modest trade relations.
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, , , 1941, , See Australia–India relations

* India established diplomatic relations with Australia in 1941, six years before its independence. The Australian Government subsequently supported the independence of India and Pakistan from the British Empire.
* India and Australia share close historical ties, with both countries being former British colonies and members of the Commonwealth of Nations. They also share close sporting ties, with both countries sharing their passion for cricket. They also compete against each other in field hockey and in the Commonwealth Games.
* Economic relations between the two nations is strong, with India being Australia's fourth largest export partner and the eighth largest trading partner.
* In 1963 Australia provide defence aid to India in the face of Chinese action.
* In 2009, relations were strained between the two nations by attacks on Indian students (termed ''Curry Bashings'') in Melbourne. Police denied any racial motivation, but this was viewed differently by the Government of India leading to high-level meetings with Australian officials.
* The persistent refusal of Australia to sell uranium to India due to the latter not being a signatory to the NPT has also hampered bilateral relations. However, this policy was reversed in 2011.
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, , , 17 March 1950, , See Australia–Indonesia relations

Since Indonesian independence, the two countries have maintained mutual diplomatic relations, formalised co-operation (especially in the fields of fisheries conservation, law enforcement, and justice co-operation), a measure of security co-operation, broadening treaty relationships, co-membership of regional forums, and co-participation in several multilateral Treaties of significance.

Recent years have seen a deepening of Australia's aid commitment to Indonesia, and Australia has become a popular venue for Indonesian students.

In 2008–09 Indonesia is the largest recipient of Australian aid at a value of $462 million.
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, , , July 1968, ,

* Australia opened an embassy in Tehran in 1968 and Iran has had an embassy in Canberra since 1971.
* The then Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi made a state visit to Australia in September 1974 to promote economic, scientific and political cooperation between the two countries. This was reciprocated in March 1975 by the visit of Australian Governor-General John Kerr.
* Diplomatic relations have been maintained without interruption through the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the replacement of the monarchy with an Islamic republic.
* Two-way trade has diminished in recent years but the value of Australia's two-way goods and services trade with Iran was $319 million in the 2019-20 financial year. Traditionally, Iran has been one of Australia's leading wheat export destinations, and other primary exports include wool and meat.
* Australia, like most Western countries, has expressed concerns about Iran's human-rights record and its nuclear-weapons program. Although not a signatory to the agreement, Australia supports the objectives of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. It continues to implement certain sanctions in respect of Iran, pursuant to UN Security Council resolution 2231 (2015) and Australia's autonomous sanctions regime.
* Migration from Iran to Australia has mainly occurred since the early 1980s and particularly in the 21st century. The 2016 census recorded 58,112 Iran-born people in Australia, with most settled in New South Wales and Victoria.
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, , , 2 December 1973, ,
* Australia and Iraq have had relations in various forms since 1938, but formal diplomatic relations were established in December 1973, with the accreditation of the Australian Ambassador in Beirut on a non-resident basis.
* Australia opened an Embassy in Baghdad in 1976 and Iraq established an Embassy in Canberra in 1995. The Australian embassy closed in 1991 just prior to the start of the 1991 Gulf War. The Iraqi embassy closed in 2003 ahead of the US-led invasion. Both countries reopened their embassies in 2004. Iraq has a Consulate-General in Sydney and the Kurdish Regional Government retains a representative office, also in Sydney.Iraq Country Brief
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
* The relationship during the Saddam Hussein era was complex, particularly in the 1990s and early 2000s with Australian efforts to promote trading links competing, sometimes diametrically (see AWB oil-for-wheat scandal), with support for diplomatic and military actions against the Iraqi government. Australian participation in the 1991 Gulf War was followed by the Australian contribution to the 2003 invasion of Iraq as part of the United States-led coalition. Bilateral relations have improved significantly following the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
* Total merchandise trade between Australia and Iraq in 2018 – 2019 was over $201 million. Historically, Australia's primary commercial interest in Iraq has been wheat, which it has exported to Iraq for over 50 years.
* Between 2003 and 2014, Australia provided $382 million in development and humanitarian assistance to Iraq to re-establish services to over 1.3 million people, including over half a million refugees and internally displaced people. This was in addition to $987 million in debt relief to support Iraq's transition to a stable and democratic nation after decades of war and dictatorship. Australia has worked in partnership with the Government of Iraq to improve the management of water, agriculture research, rural development, public sector governance, education, landmine clearance and basic services delivery.
* Australia is contributing to capacity building missions with the Iraqi Army, law enforcement personnel, the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service and the NATO Training Mission headquarters in Iraq.
* There is a sizeable Iraqi community in Australia. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Migration Australia data, at 23 October 2017, 67,355 people born in Iraq were living in Australia. The resettlement of Iraqis who have fled their home country remains a priority within Australia's offshore Humanitarian Programme.
* In 2009 Nouri al-Maliki became the first Iraqi prime minister to visit Australia. He and then Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd signed a declaration to increase co-operation and to strengthen trade and investment ties.
* In the post-Saddam era there have been frequent high level visits of Australian Governors-General and Prime Ministers to Iraq, combined with visits to Australian Defence Force personnel stationed in the country.
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, , , 11 May 1949
, See Australia–Israel relations
* Australia and Israel share a close relationship with significant people-to-people links and broad commercial engagement. Australia was the first country to vote in favour of the 1947 UN partition resolution, which ultimately led to the creation of Israel as a nation state.
* The Australian Government formally recognized Israel on 28 January 1949. The Australian Legation in Tel Aviv, and the Israeli Legation in Canberra, were both opened in that year. Diplomatic relations were raised to ambassadorial level in 1960.
* Australia is committed to a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state co‑exist, in peace and security, within internationally recognised borders. In December 2018, Australia recognized West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel but this was reversed by the Albanese government in October 2022
* The Australian-Jewish community, which numbers about 91,000 (2016 census), is an important element of Australia's relationship with Israel. There are approximately 10,000 Israeli-born people living in Australia and about 10–12,000 Australians living in Israel.
* Australia and Israel have a growing bilateral economic relationship. In 2019–20, two-way goods and services trade amounted to approximately $1.3 billion. In February 2017, Australia and Israel signed a Technological Innovation Cooperation Agreement. Since 2017, Australia and Israel have expanded cooperation on national security, defence and cyber security.
* Israeli President Chaim Herzog made the first visit by a serving Israeli President to Australia in November 1986. This was followed in 2005 and 2020 by Presidents Moshe Katsav and Reuven Rivlin. In January 1987, Prime Minister Bob Hawke made the first visit to Israel by a serving Australian Prime Minister. This was followed by subsequent Prime Ministerial visits in 1995, 2000 and 2017. In February 2017, Benjamin Netanyahu became the first incumbent Israeli Prime Minister to visit Australia.
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, , , 14 September 1940 (broken from 8 December 1941 to 28 April 1952), , See Australia–Japan relations

Australia-Japan relations are generally warm, substantial and driven by mutual interests, and have expanded beyond strong economic and commercial links to other spheres, including culture, tourism, defence and scientific co-operation.
* Australia has an embassy in Tokyo and consulates-general in Fukuoka, Osaka and Sapporo.
* Japan has an embassy in Canberra and consulates-general in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and a consular office in Cairns.
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, , , 28 April 1975, ,
* Australia has an embassy in Amman, established in 1979 and Jordan has an embassy in Canberra, established in 1976.
* Australia and Jordan have long standing friendly relations reflected in diverse political, cultural and economic links. His Majesty King Hussein made the first visit by an Arab Head of State to Australia in March 1976. His Majesty King Abdullah visited in November 2016. Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove visited Jordan in October 2017. There have also been regular exchanges at senior ministerial level.
* In 2019–20, two‑way goods and services trade was $285 million (A$198 million in exports to Jordan and A$86 million in imports from Jordan).
* Since 2017, as part of Australia's response to the Syria crisis, it has provided over A$105 million in support of refugees and their host communities in Jordan.
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, , , 22 June 1992
, See Australia–Kazakhstan relations
Australia and Kazakhstan relations began in 1992. Australia opened an embassy in Almaty in 1995, which closed in 1999 due to resource constraints. Kazakhstan opened a Consulate-General in Sydney in 2015. There have been a number of high level visits between the two countries to sign co-operation agreements: Prime Minister Sergey Tereshchenko visited Australia in 1993; Governor-General Bill Hayden visited Kazakhstan in 1993; President Nursultan Nazarbayev visited Australia in 1996. The countries signed an agreement on economic and commercial cooperation, which came into force on 2 June 2004. Trade relations are modest.
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, , , 1 July 1974, ,

* Diplomatic relations between Australia and Kuwait were established in 1974 with the accreditation of the Australian ambassador in Riyadh on a non-resident basis. Australia opened an embassy in Kuwait City in December 2004.
* Kuwait opened an embassy in Canberra in January 2002 and a Cultural Office in Canberra in 2008.
* Australia supported Kuwait's independence and territorial integrity with its contribution to the coalition force which in 1991 liberated Kuwait from the Iraqi occupation.
* Kuwait's investments in Australia are estimated at over A$13.4 billion (2019). Two-way trade amounted to A$664 million in 2019. Kuwait is a significant market for Australian exports of wheat and live sheep. It is also an important market for Australian education and tourism services. About 1,000 Australians reside in Kuwait, employed mainly in the education, banking, oil and gas and security industries.
* In May 2016, the then Australian Governor-General Peter Cosgrove made a state visit to Kuwait.
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, , , 26 December 1991 , ,
Australia is represented in Kyrgyzstan by its embassy in Moscow.
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, , , 15 January 1952, ,

* Diplomatic relations between Australia and Laos were established in 1952 with the appointment of an Australian Minister, resident in Saigon. This is the longest unbroken diplomatic relationship Laos has with any country.Laos Country Brief
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 6 August 2021
* Australia has an embassy in Vientiane. This was established as a legation in December 1960. Relations were raised to full Ambassadorial level in January 1963. The embassy has remained open throughout the political changes in Laos, in particular the abolition of the monarchy and establishment of the Lao People's Democratic Republic in 1975.
* Laos has an Embassy in Canberra.
* Australia is a long-standing development, trade and investment partner to Laos. In 2019-20 Australia provided $45 .3 million in total Official Development Assistance to Laos. This included $25 .6 million in bilateral funding. In February 2022, Australia committed to a substantial increase in assistance.
* Two-way trade in goods and services was worth $13 9 million in 2019 -20. An agreement on the promotion and protection of investment between Australia and Laos has been in place since 1995. Australia and Laos are parties to the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA). The Australian Chamber of Commerce in Laos (AustCham Lao) was established in 2005 – the first international chamber of commerce in the country.
* At the time of the 2016 national census, more than 15,000 people in the Australian community identified as having Lao ancestry. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia was a favored destination for Lao students studying abroad.
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, , , 20 February 1967, ,

* Australia has an embassy in Beirut.
* Lebanon has an embassy in Canberra.
* 74,000 Lebanese-born people live in Australia, mainly in Sydney, and there are more people of Lebanese descent including Marie Bashir, Steve Bracks and Hazem El Masri.
* Australia has a modest trade relationship with Lebanon and has also given foreign aid in the aftermath of the Lebanese civil war of 1975–1990.
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, , , 31 August 1957, , See Australia–Malaysia relations

* Australia has a high commission in Kuala Lumpur.
* Malaysia has a high commission in Canberra.
* Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
* Both Australia and Malaysia are members of the Five Power Defence Arrangements and often participate in military exercises together.
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, , , 25 January 1974, ,

* Australia and Maldives established diplomatic relations in early 1974, with Australia's first non-resident ambassador presenting credentials on 17 February 1974. With Maldives joining the Commonwealth of Nations in 1983 and rejoining in 2020 after its withdrawal in 2016, the two countries representatives have been high commissioners.
* The Australian high commissioner has been accredited on a non-resident basis from Colombo but in February 2022 Australia announced plans to open a resident high commission in Male as part of a series of measures by the Morrison Government to enhance Australia's bilateral relations in the North-East Indian Ocean sub-region. The Maldives high commissioner is accredited on a non-resident basis from Singapore. It has an honorary consulate-general in Melbourne.
* Total bilateral trade was A$160 million in 2018, of which A$46 million was Australian merchandise exports, mainly food and beverage. Australia is also a development partner, supporting projects related to climate change, governance and maritime safety, and is a significant source of educational scholarships to Maldivian students. The total Australian Official Development Assistance to Maldives in 2019-20 had a budget of A$2.6 million.
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, , , 15 September 1972
,
See Australia–Mongolia relations

Australia and Mongolia established relations in 1972. Relations have grown stronger in recent years with free-market reforms in Mongolia and high-profile visits from leaders of both countries. Trade between the two countries is small but mainly based on mining and there have been steps to grow this. Australia provides foreign aid to Mongolia.
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, , , 1 August 1953, ,

* Australia has an embassy in Rangoon.
* Myanmar has an embassy in Canberra.
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, , , 15 February 1960
,
Australia and Nepal have had diplomatic relations for over 50 years. They have a modest trade relationship but Australia provides more foreign aid than exports. Australia has a few points of interest such as in tourism, commerce and education.
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, , , 31 December 1974, broken 30 October 1975, Restored 8 May 2000, , See Australia–North Korea relations

Diplomatic relations are stressed due to North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Since October 2006 visas have not been issued for North Korean citizens and North Korean ships have been banned from Australia's ports. Economically, relations are more modest; North Korea ranks 125th in the order of Australia's trade partners, with two-way trade valued between A$6–11 million.
On 22 April, North Korea threatened Australia with a nuclear strike.
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, , , 1981, ,

* Australia and Oman established diplomatic relations in 1981.
* The Australian ambassador in Riyadh is accredited to Oman on a non-resident basis. Australia has an honorary consulate in Muscat.
* The Omani ambassador in Tokyo is accredited to Australia on a non-resident basis. Oman has a consulate-general in Melbourne.
* Australia and Oman cooperate closely in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
* Australia's two-way goods and services trade with Oman totalled $615.0 million in 2018–19. Australia's principle exports include meat, wheat and livestock. There are eight formal agreements between Australian and Omani universities to facilitate student and academic exchange, and research collaboration. The Sultan of Oman Endowed Chair in Arab and Islamic Studies was established in 2003 at the University of Melbourne.
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, , , 8 March 1948, , See Australia–Pakistan relations

* Relations with Pakistan started before partition. Australia supported India and Pakistan's independence.
* In 1960, Australia provided A£11 million in aid to Pakistan as part of the Indus Waters Treaty.
* The relations between the two countries have been friendly, with former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf having visited Australia in 2005 and the former Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, also having extended a visit to Pakistan in 2005 as well, following the 2005 Kashmir earthquake which had immensely targeted the northern areas of Pakistan. He also announced 500 new scholarships for students in Pakistan to study in Australia.
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, , , 17 March 1950, , See Australia–Philippines relations

* Australia has an embassy in Manila.
* Philippines has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate general in Sydney.
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, , , 1 May 1980, ,

* Australia and Qatar established diplomatic relations on 1 May 1980.Diplomatic and Consular Relations
Australian Year Book of International Law (1978-1980) page 292. Retrieved 25 August 2021
* Australia has an embassy in Doha, opened in November 2016. Prior to then the Australian ambassadors in Riyadh and later Abu Dhabi were accredited on a non-resident basis.
* Qatar has an embassy in Canberra, opened in 2012. Prior to then the Qatari ambassador in Tokyo was accredited on a non-resident basis.
* Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were extensive aviation links between the countries, with Qatar serving as a major air route for Australians travelling to the Middle East and Europe. Qatar Airways provided daily direct flights between Doha and Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Canberra and Adelaide. Around 3,000 Australians reside in Qatar and prior to the pandemic nearly 40,000 Australians visited Qatar annually.Qatar Country Brief
Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 25 August 2021
* The two countries are important trading and investment partners, with two-way goods and services trade worth A$2.1 billion in 2018. The Qatar Investment Authority and its subsidiaries have invested around $3 billion in Australia. A Memorandum of Understanding on Higher Education, Research and Vocational Training was signed in 2016, and significant research links have developed between Australian Universities and Qatari institutions.
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, , , 15 January 1974, , See Australia–Saudi Arabia relations

* Saudi Arabia is one of Australia's most important trading partners in the Middle East; two-way trade was valued at $1.9 billion in 2011.
* Australia has an embassy in Riyadh.
* Saudi Arabia has an embassy in Canberra.
* A large number of Saudi students choose to study in Australia, mostly under the King Abdullah Scholarship Program. In 2009, 12,500 Saudi students enrolled in Australian educational institutions.
* Australians in Saudi Arabia are a sizeable community consisting mainly of up to 5,000 with the majority based in major commercial centres such as Riyadh and Jeddah.
* A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Canberra between Australia-Saudi Business Council
* Official Press Agency stated on Apr,14,2015 that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Australia are Discussing Developing Cooperation Ties
* Bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Australia have improved and progressed significantly in recent years and moved from normal relations to relations of mutual trust and partnership in various fields.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Affairs statement on Australian-Saudi Arabian relations
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, , , 18 August 1965, , See Australia–Singapore relations

* Australia has a high commission in Singapore.
* Singapore has a high commission in Canberra.
* Both countries are full members of the Commonwealth of Nations.
* Both Australia and Singapore are members of the Five Power Defence Arrangements and often participate in military exercises together.
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, , , 30 October 1961, , See Australia–South Korea relations
* The establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Australia began in October 1961.
* Both are a member state of the MIKTA.
* Australia has an embassy in Seoul.
* South Korea has an embassy in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney.
* During the Korean War Australia sent 17,000 soldiers to offer military co-operation with South Korea.
* Economic ties has been strengthened while trade value between the two reached $18 billion in 2007 Australia–Korea Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA).
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, , , 4 February 1948
,
* Bilateral relations are generally warm, supported by trade, investment flows, education, immigration and other development co-operations. Australia is also a member in helping the economic and social development of Sri Lanka.
* In 2007 a two-way trade agreement was created between Australia and Sri Lanka valued at $232 million a year. The trade agreement includes exports from Australia such as vegetables and dairy products. Tea and other foods, textiles, clothing, rubber, iron and steel which are the main imports from Sri Lanka.
* In 2008–09 the estimated budget for aid to Sri Lanka is $27 million
Sri Lanka Country Brief
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, , , 1975 , ,

* Australia and Syria established diplomatic relations in 1975 when the Australian ambassador in Lebanon was accredited concurrently as non-resident ambassador to Syria.
* An Australian embassy was opened in Damascus in 1977. Syria opened an embassy in Canberra in the early 2000s. Until the start of the current Syrian Civil War in 2011, the two countries enjoyed good relations, supported by people-to-people links.
* Since 2011, Australia has imposed autonomous sanctions in relation to Syria "to reflect Australia’s grave concern at the Syrian regime’s deeply disturbing and unacceptable use of violence against its people". In May 2012, in response to a civilian massacre in Houla, the Syrian charge d'affaires and another diplomat based in Canberra were expelled, and Syria closed its embassy in June 2012.
* There is currently no exchange of diplomats between the countries but Syria maintains an honorary consulate in Sydney.
* The 2016 Australian census recorded 15,321 Syrian-born residents, including a wave of migrants arriving since 2011 under the Humanitarian Program.
* In response to the ongoing crisis in Syria, Australia has provided about $525 million dollars in humanitarian support since 2011, including the $249 million, four-year Syria Crisis Humanitarian and Resilience Package (2017-20).
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, , , 16 September 1941 – 22 December 1972, , See Australia–Taiwan relations

* Australia does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, in conjunction with its recognition in December 1972 of the People's Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legitimate government of China.
* Prior to that, Australia had recognized the government of the Republic of China, based on Taiwan since 1949.
* The first Chinese Consul-General to Australia arrived in Melbourne in 1909, but it wasn't until 1921 that Australia established representation in China through a trade commissioner, an effort that was disbanded the following year.
* Lin Sen, Chairman of the National Government of China and figurehead head of state, made the first visit by a Chinese head of state to Australia in 1931–32.Jones, P., "The View from the Edge: Chinese Australians and China, 1890 to 1949", in Ferrall, C. et al (ed.) (2005),
East by South: China in the Australasian Imagination
', pp.46ff
* Formal diplomatic relations with the Republic of China date from 1941 with the first exchange of Ministers. The Australian legation was based in Chungking and after the war in Nanking. Relations were upgraded to Ambassadorial level in June 1948 but the embassy closed in October 1949 following the Communist victory.
* Cold War fears of Communism characterized Australia's relations with China over the next two decades, with Australia refusing to recognize the Communist government of the PRC in Beijing, continuing to recognizing the Chiang Kai–shek administration on Taiwan as representing the Government of the Republic of China, and maintaining accreditation of a Republic of China embassy in Australia. However the Robert Menzies government was reluctant to open an embassy on Taiwan. This finally occurred under the Harold Holt government in 1966. The embassy in Taipei and the Republic of China embassy in Canberra were closed in early 1973 following Australia's switch of recognition to the PRC.
* Nevertheless, Australia supports Taiwan's participation in international organisations and encourages private investment. An Australian Office in Taipei, dating from 1981, represents Australian interests in Taiwan.
* Taiwan has four economic and cultural offices in Australia, in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney.
* Taiwan and Australia share a wide range of people-to-people links developed through business and tourism-related travel, academic exchanges, and Australia's Working Holiday Maker Scheme.
* The two countries have a large trade relationship. Taiwan was Australia's 12th largest trading partner in 2020, worth $16.1 billion. Taiwan was Australia's ninth largest merchandise export market in 2020, worth $10 billion.
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, , , 26 December 1991
,
Australia is represented in Tajikistan by its embassy in Moscow.
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, , , 19 December 1952, , See Australia–Thailand relations

* Thailand is represented through its embassy in Canberra and a consulate-general in Sydney.
* Australia has an embassy in Bangkok.

Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement
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, , , 28 February 1967, , See Australia–Turkey relations
* Australia has an embassy in Ankara and a Consulates General in Istanbul and Çanakkale.
* Turkey has an embassy in Canberra and Consulates General in Melbourne and Sydney.
*Both countries are members of  G20, MIKTA, OECD and WTO.
*Trade volume between the two countries was US$1.66 billion in 2015 (Australia exports/imports: 544.8/521.6 million USD.
*150 thousand Turkish citizens reside in Australia.
* Yunus Emre Institute has a local headquarters in Melbourne.
, - valign="top"
, , , 14 May 1992, ,

* Australia and Turkmenistan established diplomatic relations on 14 May 1992.
* Australia is accredited to Turkmenistan from its embassy in Moscow.
* Turkmenistan has not yet established representation to Australia.
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, , , 16 March 1975, , See Australia–United Arab Emirates relations

* Australia has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a consulate in Dubai.
* United Arab Emirates has an embassy in Canberra.
* Both countries have extensive trade relations. In 2009 trade was worth over A$4.25 billion.
* There are 91 flights per week between the two countries, and roughly 12,000 to 15,000 Australians live and work in the UAE.
* The countries have a shared strategic view on regional security, thanks to high-level dialogue between them.
, - valign="top"
, , , 26 December 1991, ,

* Australia's ambassador accredited to Uzbekistan is resident in Moscow.
* Uzbekistan's ambassador accredited to Australia is resident in Singapore.
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, , , 26 February 1973 (with Republic of Vietnam from 15 January 1952 to 5 May 1975) , ,

* Australia has an embassy in Hanoi and a consulate general in Ho Chi Minh City.
* Vietnam has an embassy in Canberra and consulates general in Sydney and Perth.
* Australia's relations with Vietnam date from 1952 when a resident Australian Minister was appointed to the then State of Vietnam and a Vietnamese legation was opened in Canberra. After the Geneva Conference of 1954 the State, which became the Republic of Vietnam in 1955, controlled the southern part of Vietnam. In 1959 diplomatic relations with the Republic of Vietnam were raised to Ambassadorial level.
* Between 1962 and 1972, Australia committed almost 60,000 personnel, including ground troops, naval forces and air assets, and significant amounts of materiel to militarily support the Republic of Vietnam as part of a United States-led coalition (see Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War). The Australian Government of Gough Whitlam completed the withdrawal of Australian forces, begun in 1970, upon its election in December 1972.
* On 26 February 1973 Australia concurrently recognized and established diplomatic relations with the then Democratic Republic of Vietnam, which controlled the northern part of Vietnam. The Australian embassy in Hanoi opened on 28 July 1973.
* The Australian embassy in Saigon was closed on 25 April 1975, just ahead of the dissolution of the Republic of Vietnam government on 30 April 1975 following the capture that day of Saigon (renamed Ho Chi Minh City) by the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong.
* Australia announced its recognition of the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (PRG) on 6 May 1975. Diplomatic relations with the PRG were announced on 22 August 1975, with the Australian Ambassador in Hanoi accredited on a non-resident basis. On 22 January 1976 the Australian Ambassador presented his credentials in Ho Chi Minh City.
* In July 1976 the northern and southern Vietnamese states formally merged as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to which the Australian embassy in Hanoi remained accredited.
* Australian representation in the south, in the form of the Consulate-General in Ho Chi Minh City, was re-established in November 1994.
* Since the end of the Vietnam War, the bilateral relationship between the two countries has become close. Australia and Vietnam have become important trading partners, development cooperation partners and defence and security partners. Australia's total two-way trade with Vietnam in 2019 was valued at $15.5 billion. Australia and Vietnam are parties to the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA). In October 2010, Australia and Vietnam signed a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation. In March 2018, Australia and Vietnam officially elevated relations by signing in Canberra a Joint Statement on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership. During Prime Minister Scott Morrison's official visit to Vietnam in August 2019, Australia and Vietnam agreed on a Plan of Action for the Strategic Partnership for the period of 2020-2023 focusing on enhancing economic engagement; deepening strategic, defence and security cooperation; and building knowledge and innovation partnerships.
* There has been significant migration of Vietnamese people to Australia since the end of the Vietnam War, and there are around 295,000 people of Vietnamese descent living in Australia. Australia has been a popular destination for Vietnamese studying abroad and Vietnam has been a popular tourist destination for Australians.
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, , , 20 December 1980 with Yemen Arab Republic (June 1984-22 May 1990 with People's Democratic Republic of Yemen) , ,
* Australia and the Yemen Arab Republic established diplomatic relations on 20 December 1980. Australia established diplomatic relations with the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen in 1984. Relations continued with the Republic of Yemen following unification of the northern and southern states in 1990.
* The Australian ambassador is accredited from Riyadh and the Yemeni ambassador is accredited from Jakarta.
* Since 2015, Australia has provided A$45.25 million to Yemen in humanitarian assistance through UN agencies.

Europe

Oceania

Australia is a member of the Pacific Islands Forum and other regional organisations. As part of its Pacific Step-Up initiative announced in 2016Stepping-up Australia's engagement with our Pacific family
" Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 4 July 2021 Australia has uniquely established resident High Commissions and embassies in all independent and self governing members of the Pacific Islands Forum as well as consulates-general in New Caledonia and French Polynesia. Australia provides aid to many of its developing Pacific Islands neighbours, and to Papua New Guinea. For decades, it has been the largest donor of aid to the Oceania region. China and New Zealand, the next biggest donors, donated only one sixth of Australia's aid during the 2010s.

Since the end of the Cold War, the understanding from the United States has been that Australia and New Zealand would assume responsibility for the security of much of the Oceania region, whom they already share pre-existing cultural and economic ties to.

Australia's approach to the Pacific has included frequent references to what it has perceived as an " Arc of Instability" among its island neighbours. In August 2006 Australian Defence Minister Brendan Nelson stated to the Australian Parliament:

We cannot afford to have failing states in our region. The so-called 'arc of instability', which basically goes from East Timor through to the south-west Pacific states, means that not only does Australia have a responsibility in preventing and indeed assisting with humanitarian and disaster relief, but also that we cannot allow any of these countries to become havens for transnational crime, nor indeed havens for terrorism.

As from early 2008, the Australian government led by Kevin Rudd began what it called a "new approach" to relations between Australia and the Pacific, appointing a Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs, Duncan Kerr. In February, Kerr and fellow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Bob McMullan visited Samoa, Tonga and Kiribati in February, and stated:

Broadly, the approach is one of much more partnership and engagement on the basis of mutual respect. We're not going to be lecturing or hectoring, we're going to try and work together with them and I think we set a pretty good standard with the way we started. The relationships we've established with ministers and leaders in those countries [Kiribati, Tonga and Samoa] is very positive.

Richard Marles, the deputy leader of the Australian Labor Party, has strongly advocated for Australia to prioritize its role in the Pacific. In 2021, he wrote a book titled ''Tides that bind: Australia in the Pacific'', and claimed in an interview that, "By any measure, we are huge part of the Pacific. We're the largest donor into the Pacific, we’ve got the biggest diplomatic footprint in the Pacific, we’ve got the most development resources in the Pacific of any country. For most of the Pacific, we're the most important bilateral relationship they have, more important than the United States, more important than China."

See also

* ANZUS
* AUKUS
* Australia and the United Nations
* Australia House (Ottawa)
* Australian contribution to the 2003 Gulf War
* CANZUK International and CANZUK
* Defence of Australia Policy
* Five Eyes
* Free-trade area
* List of Australians imprisoned or executed abroad
* List of diplomatic missions in Australia
* List of diplomatic missions of Australia
* Market access
* Quadrilateral Security Dialogue
* Rules of Origin
* Tariffs
* UKUSA Agreement
* Visa requirements for Australian citizens

References

*
* 2003 US Department of State]
website

Further reading

* Abbondanza, Gabriele. ''The Geopolitics of Australia in the New Millennium: the Asia-Pacific Context'' (Aracne, 2013)
* Beeson, Mark. "Issues in Australian Foreign Policy". ''The Australian Journal of Politics and History'' (2002) 48#
online
* Bisley, Nick. "Issues in Australian Foreign Policy: July to December 2011". ''Australian Journal of Politics & History'' (2012) 58#2 pp 268–82
* Chai, Tommy Sheng Hao. "How China attempts to drive a wedge in the U.S.-Australia alliance". ''Australian Journal of International Affairs'' 74.5 (2020): 511–531.
* Chieocharnpraphan, Thosaphon. ''Australian Foreign Policy under the Howard Government: Australia as a Middle Power?'' (2011)
* Curley, Melissa, and Dane Moores. "Issues in Australian Foreign Policy, January to June 2011". ''Australian Journal of Politics & History'' (2011) 57#4 pp 597–613
* Rawdon Dalrymple, Dalrymple, Rawdon. ''Continental Drift: Australia's Search for a Regional Identity'' (Aldershot, England: Ashgate, 2003). .
* Fels, Enrico. ''Shifting Power in Asia-Pacific? The Rise of China, Sino-US Competition and Regional Middle Power Allegiance''. (Springer, 2017), pp. 365–436.
* Firth, Stewart. ''Australia in International Politics: An Introduction to Australian Foreign Policy'' (3rd ed., 2011
online 2005 edition
* Gyngell; Allan, and Michael Wesley. '' Making Australian Foreign Policy'' (Cambridge University Press, 2003
online
* Hundt, David. "Issues in Australian Foreign Policy: July to December 2010". ''Australian Journal of Politics & History'' (2011)
* Lockyer, Adam
''Australia's Defence Strategy: Evaluating Alternatives for a Contested Asia''
(Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2017)
* McDonald, Scott D., and Andrew T. H. Tan, eds. ''The Future of the United States-Australia Alliance: Evolving Security Strategy in the Indo-Pacific'' (2020
excerpt
* Millar, T. B. ''Australia in peace and war: external relations 1788-1977'' (1978
online
612pp
* Patience, Allan. ''Australian Foreign Policy in Asia: Middle Power or Awkward Partner?'' (2019
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* Suri, Navdeep. "Australia-China Relations: The Great Unravelling". ORF Issue Brief No. 366, June 2020, Observer Research Foundation
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* Tow, William T., and Chen-shen Yen. "Australia–Taiwan relations: the evolving geopolitical setting". ''Australian Journal of International Affairs'' 61.3 (2007): 330–350.
* Ungerer, Carl. "The 'middle power' concept in Australian foreign policy". ''Australian Journal of Politics & History'' 53.4 (2007): 538–551.
* Watt, Alan. ''The Evolution of Australian Foreign Policy 1938–1965''. (Cambridge UP, 1967)

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