Australia's growing regional role.

Building its position as an Asia-Pacific power, Australia has maintained a close alliance with the United States, has built strong relations with Japan, and has forged friendly ties with China. It has emerged as a guardian, along with New Zealand, of troubled Pacific island states. To support its complex strategic stance, it has acted to strengthen its defence capabilities. A defence policy document issued in July shed new light on how Australia saw its role both globally and in cementing a new regional security architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]