Why Australia is exercising in South China Sea

From here. I haven’t checked the thread but guess it’ll
be the “Australia is a US poodle” vein

Well here’s two reasons, Paul:
1. India, Japan, US, all democracies, like Australia. Democracies stick together against a clear and present threat. Which is that …
2. Xi Jinping's China is increasingly aggressive in the SC Sea. (And beyond, of you count the Belt and Road strategy).
Australia bread has been buttered by China. The US has provided a security umbrella for 70 years. When push comes to shove, security matters more than bread.
John Mearsheimer predicted* that Asian countries caught in the China-US bind — including Australia— would have to make a choice some day. Seems that day is here. Largely courtesy Xi Jinping. He has brought this in himself and on China. * )“Australia caught between the dragon and the eagle”).

Not that this has no precedent. Today’s “Posts from the past” is a headline from 2010 “US says S China Sea pacts in its national interest, riling China” and quotes  Hillary that resolving conflicts over the sea are “pivotal to regional security”.

Plus ca change

Meantime others have another take. Which is it’s all down to hawks on Pompeos’s team, the key villain being Yu Maochun. Who harbours very “dark thoughts” about China. It’s not China’s increasingly aggressive claims. It’s not China’s bullying. No. It’s a wicked adviser. Right.