In other words, Beijing needs to tread warily and make sure that Australia is not tied up with the US against it.
Australia has been doing its bit to reassure China in this regard. It is still an enthusiastic US ally, but is seeking to extract political autonomy in its relations with China.
Indeed, in some ways, it is even becoming a spokesman of sorts for China in the US. Speaking at a recent Asia Society function in New York, Howard conceded that China's rise would inevitably place stress on the international system.
"But to see China's rise in zero-sum terms is overly pessimistic, intellectually misguided and potentially dangerous," he added.
He went on to make a strong case on China's behalf.
"Its economic liberalization and integration into the world system has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. Its growth in recent years has helped to sustain the expansion of the global economy and of world trade," he said.
However, Howard knows that Taiwan is a serious obstacle between China and the US, and fervently hopes that the cross-strait dilemma will be resolved peacefully. But if this were to develop into a military conflict, Australia might have to excuse itself from entering the fray.
Howard is not apologetic about Australia's newly-found passionate advocacy of China's growing role in the Asia-Pacific, regarding it as natural and positive. He believes that "Australia's strong relationship with China is not just based on economic opportunity."
According to him, "We seek to build on shared goals and not become obsessed with those things that make us different."
Did Howard mean that the US was obsessed about China? He obviously didn't. And he heaped praise on the US' role as global leader, and as a Pacific power. To quote Howard: "America is a great Pacific power and, as has often been the case, it fulfils its regional role most powerfully when it provides global leadership."
He added, "America's alliance relationships, including with Australia, will be the anchors for that US presence."
Only time will tell how Australia will reconcile its US alliance with China's rising power in the Asia-Pacific.
Sushil Seth is a writer based in Australia.
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