澳洲政府對東亞區域主義的態度因時而異，因問題而異。從歷史上看，工黨政府對東亞區域主義比保守黨政府積極。而坎培拉當局在考慮東亞區域主義的利益時最主要的因素是澳洲的參與是否會在未來任何區域機制受到歡迎。 本文主旨在剖析過去廿年澳洲對東亞貿易區域主義的政策。然而，貿易只不過是過去廿年澳洲不斷積極參與東亞合作活動中的一個面向而已。在經濟層面，過去十五年東亞國家在貨幣及財政問題合作的重要性與日俱增。 擔心會被排除在東亞區域組織之外是傳統上澳洲對東亞區域主義態度的驅動力。這點對台灣官員言是相當熟悉的。就是在這種憂慮下，促使澳洲強化在貿易方面透過世界貿易組織（WTO）無歧視原則來進行自由化的偏好。而自一九九九年趕搭上雙邊主義的列車以來，澳洲對雙邊主義的有增無減，先是用雙邊協商來作為遏阻一些東協國家反對澳洲加入東亞區域經濟組織的策略，但後來則越發將雙邊主義用來作為強化與其最重要經濟伙伴合作的工具。 東亞經濟整合走向雙邊主義對台灣不利，因為台灣雖為亞太經濟合作會議（APEC）與WTO的會員國，但卻被排除在西太平洋盆地的雙邊協商之外，此乃因中國對台灣的潛在伙伴施壓所致。現在澳洲已是雙邊主義俱樂部的一員，較無意將雙邊主義推及目前不在雙邊主義俱樂部者，也對台灣試圖推動以APEC為基礎的自由貿易區之作法不感興趣。坎培拉當局並不認為APEC能使貿易自由化產生任何重大進展。雖然目前原則上沒有任何事足以阻止澳洲與台灣進行雙邊自由貿易協定（FTA）協商，但是除非美國與台灣先完成FTA，建立先例，否則澳洲是不太可能與台灣舉行雙邊FTA協商的。

The attitudes of Australian governments towards East Asian regionalism have varied considerably over time and over issue area. Historically, Labor Party governments have been more enthusiastic about closer engagement with East Asia than have their conservative counterparts. The most significant factor, however, in Canberra's calculations of the merits of East Asian regionalism has been whether or not Australian participation was likely to be welcomed in any future regional institution. The bulk of this paper considers Australia's policies in the last two decades towards trade regionalism in East Asia. But trade is of course only one dimension of cooperative activities in East Asia in which Canberra has been an increasingly active player in the last two decades. In the economic sphere, collaboration on monetary and financial issues in the region has grown in importance in the last fifteen years. And beyond economic issues, Australian governments have also been active players on regional security issues. These warrant a brief discussion—not least because they frame the context in which economic collaboration occurs.