In mid-August, delegates at the Australian American Leadership Dialogue in Adelaide were as agreed as ever on the importance of the relationship between Australia and the United States. Deterrence—focused chiefly on China’s ambitions—emerged, inevitably, as a major thread in defining the security arena and other fierce challenges beyond. But there’s leadership, and there are the leaders—where are US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese taking us next? Logically, this formula could extend to decisions to work more closely with Taiwan and not be so beholden to China’s position. Albanese does talk values, but more commonly around issues relating to Ukraine or Palestine, for example, than about China.