Strategic NewsPreserving freedom to govern in the face of economic coercion
Toward Decline

Preserving freedom to govern in the face of economic coercion

ASPI The Strategist Institutional·2026-09-03China EconomyP1: Resource SovereigntyP5: Strategic DecouplingP7: Alliance Architecture
Why it matters

The article identifies a critical vulnerability in Australia's and the region's strategic autonomy: the success of Chinese economic coercion in shaping policy decisions across Indo-Pacific governments. This directly undermines Australia's ability to maintain resource sovereignty and alliance coordination (Pillars 1, 5, 7) if the lesson learned by the region is accommodation rather than resistance.

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Where this sits in the model

This development bears on 3 of the eight pillars of Australian preparedness — the overall picture right now is 5/100.

P1: Resource Sovereignty0/100P5: Strategic Decoupling0/100P7: Alliance Architecture25/100
Go deeper · Grey Zone Tracker
Grey-zone escalation? Trace the pattern of coercion below the threshold.

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See how all eight pillars score: the Strategic Preparedness Index stands at 5/100.

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The bigger picture

One signal in a live tracker of Australia's preparedness.

Every story here is scored against eight pillars — defence, energy, industry, fiscal reform, alliances and more — companion to the book Unprepared: Australia in an Age of Chinese Power.

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