Australia’s diplomatic influence in Asia on the rise as ALP advances interests abroad

Australia has enjoyed a big increase in its diplomatic influence in Asia over the past year, according to the latest ratings of power across the region.

The Lowy Institute's Asia Power Index, published on Monday, also shows Australia's standing has emerged unscathed from pandemic-era disruptions, unlike the region's big players the US and China and many other countries.

The Sydney-based thinktank ranks 26 countries and territories in terms of their power and influence in Asia. It is calculated from scores in 133 categories covering military capability, economic capability and diplomatic and cultural influence.

The US was ranked in first place overall and "widened its lead slightly over China for a second year running despite a continuing downward trend for its comprehensive power score, which has never replicated its peak of 2018".

China, still in second place, registered "the largest decline in comprehensive power" in the 2023 Asia Power Index as it was only starting to emerge from "tough zero-Covid policies that sharply curtailed its global and regional connectivity".

But the report noted China was steadily improving its military and was prepared to deploy those capabilities more assertively. While China's military is still not as powerful as the US military, it has cut the American lead on this measure from 27 points in 2018 to 23 points in 2022.

Australia is ranked sixth overall in the power index, behind Japan (third), India (fourth) and Russia (fifth).