In recent years, Australian foreign policy has centred on two highly visible regional arrangements, AUKUS and the Quad. But no one seems to remember the TSD – the Trilateral Strategic Dialogue.
For all the focus on minilateral diplomacy and the sprouting of new pacts and forums, it is the TSD that might offer the most potential impact.
Created in 2002, the TSD joins the United States, Japan, and Australia to facilitate coordination among the three democracies “to advance a free … Indo-Pacific region”. Its last meeting, in 2022, reaffirmed the relationship and the trio’s common values while repudiating China’s use of ballistic missiles. Yet the TSD has no treaty ensuring its continued existence or obligating members to make commitments.
And that’s a missed opportunity.
