Australian Leader Casts Himself as China Hawk in Re-Election Bid

SYDNEY—Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who has brought Australia into a closer alliance with the U.S. amid its rivalry with China, is trailing in the polls just months before an election.

To turn things around, he is burnishing his foreign-policy credentials and promoting the strength of the economy, betting that will shift voters’ focus away from the frustration that has built up over his government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.