Is Australia ready to let go of its ideological bias?

With the robust growth of China-Australia trade and China's rising influence in the world arena, Australia's dilemma of how to balance relations with its longtime ally the United States and its important economic partner China has become increasingly acute.

In a recent article published in the Australian Financial Review newspaper, former Australian ambassador to China Geoff Raby criticized Australia's current foreign policy toward China and called for Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to be replaced, claiming that Canberra's relations with Beijing would not improve until she was removed.

Bishop defended herself by saying she was out of touch with the current state of the relationship, which she described as "good and strong".