In an open letter published on Thursday, fifteen Australian university researchers advocated for the betterment of the China-Australia relationship.

The open letter was published on the blog platform Pearls and Irritations to the newly elected federal administration last Saturday.

Jocelyn Chey, a former diplomat and visiting professor at the University of Sydney, and Jane Golley, a professor and economist at the Australian National University (ANU), were among the researchers. David Goodman, James Laurenceson, Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney, and Ben Hillman, Director of the Australian Center on China in the World at the ANU.

“The change in administration gives the chance for a circuit breaker in the terrible diplomatic ties that have formed between Australia and China in recent years,” the letter added, sent to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

“As China Studies academics who conduct study on different elements of Chinese society and politics, we recognise that the current administration is likely to avoid the overly forceful attitude of its predecessor. Less public aggressiveness, in our opinion, is more likely to be helpful in dealing with China: international engagement should replace the rhetoric of war “It stated.

“A China strategy guided by diplomatic and economic objectives as well as great power strategic concerns may well and more sustainably safeguard Australia’s national and economic security,” they said.

“While acknowledging the enormous challenges ahead, we advocate this shift in approach to China.”