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The article focuses on defence relations of Australia with China and Japan as of December 2014. Topics discussed include Australia's need of 12 advanced conventional submarines and seven area air-defence destroyers from China, an agreement signed by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott for entering into a joint submarine development program with Japan, and the report "New Australia China Agenda" released by the Australian National University's (ANU) Australian Centre on China in the World.

The article focuses on the challenge facing Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in his choosing between Japan and China as diplomatic partner. It notes that Abbott has entered Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe but Abbott was swept by Japan's dispute with China and China's investigations of the missing Malaysian airliner off the coast of Western Australia. It cites that there is more to gain in China than the courtesies Abbott received in Japan.

The article focuses on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory on July 8, 2014 concerning the concessions on Japanese products. President Brent Finlay of the Australian National Farmers' Federation mentions his disappointment on the bilateral trade agreement. Also mentioned is a bilateral defense deal signed by the two leaders.

The article offers the author's views on the direction of submarine competitive evaluation process (CEP) in Australia and whether Defense Minister Marise Paine, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, and the rest of the Cabinet will change the process. He discusses how to achieve former Prime Minister Tony Abbott's plan to buy submarines built in Japan. He mentions former Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) head Warren King who urged the government not to rush the CEP.