In late January, 50 high-profile Australians led by former Australian Foreign Affairs Ministers, Bob Carr and Gareth Evans, called on the government to take actions to defuse tensions between the United States and China. They said they supported a balance of power in the region, in which the United States and China respect and recognize each other as equals. What led to this move by these prominent Australian figures? How significant is the China-US relationship for global peace and prosperity, as well as in the Asia-Pacific region? What steps can be taken by third parties like Australia to mitigate the negative consequences of the strained China-US relationship?