Chinese imperialism and future Australian sovereignty

[think positive]

I’d feel a lot safer in a world in which aggressive denuclearisation was pursued, frankly. Us getting nukes only encourages more hostile countries around us to do the same. It’s amazing how many people don’t understand that.

Lots of people understand that, David. They also understand that it has to be a two way deal, otherwise one side is left defenseless. It's unfortunate that it's the state of the world but also pretty naive to think otherwise.

its a trust issue. and i dont trust anyone when it comes to this! essential spending indeed.

[pietillidie]

But are we even pursuing bilateral arms reduction initiatives? I fear that there's little appetite for it, not when so much political capital can be wrung from militarism (and literal capital from defence industry contracts).

That's a fair question. The arms will cost hundreds of millions of dollars, but if sensible accompanying policy costs more than lunch at 7-Eleven and 12 joules of energy, it will be deemed idealistic. An actual policy framework, someone bothering to get out of bed and speak to regional leaders, and strict controls on political interference from the military-industrial complex, should be up-front conditions. But that requires people to think beyond some simplistic mental transaction (buy pill, fix problem), and so things worsen.

So, even though I support it on the basis of risk management, I don't support reckless handouts and perverse incentives. But can anyone be bothered putting that into a policy and passing it? I'm surprised we can somehow still organise the collection of rubbish.

[Tannin]

https://www.theage.com.au/business/the- ... 55adj.html

A view from the Telegraph in London. Refreshing in its optimism, in its view that China has overreached and is now opposed by too many nations to continue its expansionist actions, but needs to take the rose-coloured glasses off.

Nevertheless, a must-read.

[stui magpie]

Indeed a very good read but I'm also unconvinced China wiill put the cue in the rack that easily

[pietillidie]

I was going to post that one, too.

[Jezza]

Good article, Tannin.

Thanks for posting.

[pietillidie]

The only Australian politician worth a potato cake on the matter:

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/fede ... 55ap2.html

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.thegua ... ationalism

The original just in case someone has access:
https://www.australianforeignaffairs.com

[Morrigu]

Morrison Government declares Beijing's South China Sea claims 'illegal' at United Nations

Australia has raised the stakes in its already troubled relationship with China by backing the United States in formally declaring Beijing's territorial claims in the South China Sea to be illegal.

In a letter to the United Nations, Australia's permanent mission rejected the Chinese Communist Party's claim to disputed islands in the crucial trading waters, calling them "inconsistent" with international law.

"The Australian Government rejects any claims by China that are inconsistent with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in particular, maritime claims that do not adhere to its rules on baselines, maritime zones and classification of features.," the document states.

Australia rejects any claims to internal waters, territorial sea, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf based on such straight baselines."

The move, likely to infuriate Beijing, aligns Australia with the Trump administration, which earlier this month reversed a previous policy of not taking sides in such disputes.

Australia has previously urged all claimants to disputed South China Sea islands and maritime features to resolve their claims in accordance with international law.

China is yet to formally respond to Australia's statement.

But it said earlier this month that the US position "neglected the history and facts" around issues concerning the South China Sea.

Australia's dramatic shift in position comes as Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds prepare to travel to Washington next week to meet with their US counterparts for the 2020 Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations

This week, the ABC revealed Australian warships had recently encountered Chinese warships while travelling through the South China Sea near the disputed Spratly islands, which Beijing claims.

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-07- ... n/12492070

[pietillidie]

[think positive]

at least we will still be speaking English and have Russian weaponry under our pillows

[Tannin]

All good PTID, except for one thing. The country defying international law in this instance is China. They are so far outside the law in the waters off the Philippines that you can't even see it from where they stand.

They have to be stopped. They need to see significant strength and multi-national unity. Appeasement never works. Morrison is correct in this instance.

[pietillidie]

^I may have given the wrong impression. I am aware of that, and fine with making it clear; as I say it would be nice if this were a golden era of caring about international law. My support for protecting small nations from being bullied by those trampling international law hasn't changed.

But beware the company you keep. Be very aware.

[Tannin]

^ Oh indeed.

[Pi]

China simply must succeed, and any policy that fails to recognise that, and fails to care about the futures of 1.4B Chinese folks, is setting us up for an unthinkable catastrophe.

Bit of an absolutist statement; presumably the 'party' must succeed for China to succeed. If so; then following people dont matter:

The estimated 10 to 80 million Falun Gong practitioners.

The estimated 12 million Uyghurs.

The 7.45 million in Hong Kong.

3.18 million Tibetans.

...and the list could go on..

Perhaps the Chinese communist party is the biggest impediment to the welfare of most of its 1.4 billion people; after all the party has only about 90 million members, (mostly Han Chinese) , ...out of 1.4 billion.....about 6.5 percent of the population.

What if the party fails? does China fail? Probably not; communist parties often fail but life goes on.

Considering the floods and ongoing pandemic , who knows.

[stui magpie]

Communist parties all eventually fall because their philosophy just doesn't work.

Enter the opposition. https://www.theage.com.au/world/asia/ch ... 55fdv.html