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The Forum > Article Comments > The Taiwan test > Comments

The Taiwan test : Comments

By Graham Young, published 22/4/2021

Russia is massing troops on the borders of the Ukraine at the same time the Chinese are increasing their unauthorised flights of military aircraft into Taiwanese airspace. This can't be coincidental.

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Yes. The aptly described United States has certainly given the 'come on down' signal to Russia and China. Biden's America is short on respect, even from its allies. As for those allies, including Australia, heads are firmly in the sand.
Posted by ttbn, Thursday, 22 April 2021 9:03:37 AM
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"Biden's America is short on respect, even from its allies."
You omitted to state "thanks to the previous idiot incumbent".
Posted by ateday, Thursday, 22 April 2021 9:57:55 AM
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80 years ago it was Germany and Japan that set the world down the road to war.

Today Russia and China stand in their place.

I think Russia and China have a secret agreement: China will support a Russian invasion of Ukraine and Russia will support a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

Things are definitely shaping up that way.

I suppose it is pretty obvious where all that iron ore from Australia is going: into Chinese warships, fighter jets, and tanks.

And Australians are boasting about how they are making so much money from sending the iron ore to China.

SUCKERS.
Posted by Mr Opinion, Thursday, 22 April 2021 10:39:23 AM
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Why does "Pig Iron Scott" come to mind ?
I think the Chinese are plying the Russians as well as the rest of us.
Eastern Siberia is an obvious place for Chinese expansion.
Posted by Bazz, Thursday, 22 April 2021 11:42:36 AM
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Firstly an interesting article with an interesting take on Chinese aggression.
So many historic facts ignored in it though, which could sway the argument in the opposite direction. That would be towards the honest NZ view of China, IE, don’t even contemplate a war with China. It’s totally unwinable.

Secondly, there are no politicians in the modern west. What replaced statesmen of old, is a managerial class with sights set on personal gain through corporate Governance.
That is the focus that gave us so many dividing lines through Western society, as to make a war with any country unwinable.

To test that theory, why not an attempt at interning Chinese residing in Western democracies.

The world we inhabit now has no resemblance to the one of 1939.
Nationalism is firmly geared inwards towards civil war, not outwards towards China.

Dan.
Posted by diver dan, Thursday, 22 April 2021 12:45:33 PM
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diver dan,

Today Australia took a step towards formally decoupling from China.

It now needs to disenfranchise all the Chinese who came here from the PRC and send them packing to China with a big note pinned to them that reads 'Return to Xi".
Posted by Mr Opinion, Thursday, 22 April 2021 12:51:43 PM
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Most new US presidents get tested by their adversaries, especially those who are obviously weak like the current incumbent. We also can't forget that Biden is also probably beholden to Peking and Moscow because of the bribery that was funnelled to him via his son.

Under Trump both these powers were restrained and contained. But as soon as Trump was removed, those constraints were unleashed. Biden was barely seated in the Oval office when China started testing Taiwan's defences. Putin has been anxious to follow-up his Crimea successes by putting additional pressure on Ukraine but had been unwilling to tempt a Trump response. He now longer fears a US response.

Just this week, Putin's mere rhetoric was sufficient to chase the US out of the Black Sea. That will obviously and absolutely embolden him. Whatismore, Trump's oil policies were suppressing oil prices which are the main earner for Russia. Oil prices have risen ~50% since the election due to Biden's policies and this further strengthens Putin hand.

As to China, they think that have Biden's measure and are free to pursue their longer term regional goals. Again, the election was barely over when they started to give Australia a spanking.

Its all well and good to suggest Australia stand up to the Chinese in pursuit of broaden western goals and that would make sense if we could be confident that the US has our back. I have no such confidence. The Democrats in the US are laser focused on consolidating their perpetual rule and the Republicans leadership, such as they are, are trying to resist it. Foreign issues are way down their lists of concerns.

I'm of the view that we need to keep our heads down for next while, doing nothing to rile China while trying to preserve what we can of our values. It may be that the US will return to its mission as the preserver of western values in 2024 under DeSantis or Trump or someone similar, but that's a long shot and if it doesn't happen, we have to align ourselves to the Chinese century.
Posted by mhaze, Thursday, 22 April 2021 1:16:35 PM
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mhaze,

So you want to kowtow to China.

Do you have a choice given that you and the other members of the pro-China camp let millions of them into the country in order to get their cash?

I suppose to people like you all that matters is whether or not you have the money.
Posted by Mr Opinion, Thursday, 22 April 2021 2:09:35 PM
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Funny how quiet things are about Hong Kong all of a sudden !
Posted by individual, Thursday, 22 April 2021 4:08:21 PM
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individual,

It's back where it belongs just like Taiwan will be before much longer.
Posted by Mr Opinion, Thursday, 22 April 2021 5:11:04 PM
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.

Dear Graham,

.

Many thanks for that excellent, informative article.

China certainly seems to be busting out all over but, for the time being, its “aggression” has been limited to international trade and commerce, foreign investment, and, more controversially, the recuperation, occupation, control, and integration of peoples and territories over which it esteems to have historically legitimate claims.

Apart from that, its record of incursions into foreign territories has been historically relatively limited. Nothing like that of Japan which has been the worst aggressor in the Pacific region by a long shot.

The following article by Antonio Carpio that appeared in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on 20 August 2020 provides the details :

http://opinion.inquirer.net/132856/chinese-invasions-past-and-present#ixzz6fiu2Id7L

At the risk of appearing naďve to some, I must say I can’t imagine China invading Australia or launching a major military attack against us. That would be like an elephant declaring war on a mosquito.

The war would not be between us and China, but between the US and China.

I sincerely hope that whatever governments succeed each other over the coming millennia will adopt that concept as the solid-rock foundation on which to conduct their dealings with our Chinese friends, partners, and competitors – to our mutual benefit.

I feel that Australia and New Zealand have an important diplomatic role to play In Asia between the two major players, the US and China, and we should work closely together to harmonise our discourse, our policy, and our acts.

We need to place this high on the political agenda of our two countries with the common, single objective of gaining the trust, confidence, and utmost respect of the two superpowers – not only in our own interests but also in their interests and in the interest of the whole Pacific region and beyond.

The issues are complex. The challenges are multiple. The stakes are high. And the tensions are palpable. The current strategy, on both sides, of political brinkmanship, has already gone too far. We must promote conciliation, understanding, and cooperation instead.

And begin by setting the example. Our future depends on it.

.
Posted by Banjo Paterson, Friday, 23 April 2021 8:49:30 AM
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Former deputy Liberal leader and foreign minister,
Julie Bishop has warned against "unnecessarily
offending our largest customer."

She has called on the Australian government not to get
involved in unnecessary "tit for tat" exchanges.

She's predicted the relationship will remain frosty for
an extended period of time ( a few years) but she says
"the way forward for the Australian government is to
continue to protect our interests and wait for the
temperature to cool down."

She stressed the need for Australia to re-engage with
China. She doubted whether China would invade any
other territory that it was simply a display of power
rather than an imminent threat of war.

The same applies to Russia. On April 14, Washington
cancelled the deployment of US warships in the Black
Sea. A signal that while President Biden is willing
to stand up to Putin. Washington is also leaving the
door open for dialogue.

The threat of an invasion and a military escalation in
the Ukraine can't be completely ruled out but the
way Russia is going the development as stated regarding
China is probably a deliberate display of power rather
than an imminent threat of war.
Posted by Foxy, Friday, 23 April 2021 11:29:55 AM
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Foxy,

I think you are reading things incorrectly.

I reckon Biden is willing to throw some countries under the bus if it avoids war with Russia and China and I think the Russians and Chinese are cognizant with Biden's logic.

I think the US will only step in to protect Australia from being invaded by China if mainland USA and its territories are under threat.

I reckon Biden will be thinking "Better Australia than us."
Posted by Mr Opinion, Friday, 23 April 2021 12:36:21 PM
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Foxy, the US withrew the ships that were to go into the Black Sea
because Turkey refused transit through the Bosphoris.
The subsequent withdrawl of Russian troops from the Ukraine border may have been a quid pro quo.
Posted by Bazz, Friday, 23 April 2021 12:40:10 PM
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Bazz,

"...because Turkey refused transit through the Bosphoris."

I don't think that's correct. It would be a huge story if Turkey, a NATO partner, were to side with Russia on this. Instead it seems that Biden simply rescinded the order to send the two ships in following Putin's threats that it would be a bad idea.

Now, it may be that Putin secretly offered to pull back from Ukraine but that's not clear. Even so, he's only pulling back part of his forces and the majority remain a mere day from Kiev.

Overall, another win for Putin. He chases the US out of the Black Sea, closes all Ukrainian ports in the region, and the only thing he gives up is that the implied pressure on Kiev is slightly lifted. In the end, he wants the Donbass and under this president is likely to get it cost-free, just as under Obama he got The Crimea cost-free.
Posted by mhaze, Friday, 23 April 2021 3:35:32 PM
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ateday

Please support your assertion with proof.

I agree with you, but haven't had the time to collate all the evidence. It would be a very great help to me and I'd appreciate the effort, greatly.

I always thought Obama was the previous idiot incumbent and the previous sensible incumbent was President Trump.

Trump very sensibly reversed all Obama's idiotic policies.

Is President Trump or Obama responsible for Big Blow Joe's idiotic policies (After all they are the same ones Obama pursued.) as well as Fall Up Joe's senility?

I think you might take a lesson or two, in English expression and comprehension. Look on this as a suggestion as an area for self-improvement.

Cheers.
Posted by imajulianutter, Saturday, 24 April 2021 6:03:38 AM
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mhaze

Midterm 2022.
Posted by imajulianutter, Saturday, 24 April 2021 6:13:08 AM
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imajulianutter,

HR51
Posted by mhaze, Saturday, 24 April 2021 9:02:28 AM
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Hi Graham,

"It is hardly likely to be coincidental that both these situations are occurring at exactly the same time."

I think the US and it's foreign meddling have precipitated these measures taken by Russia and China.

Taiwanese people do not see themselves as Chinese, but it's not our fight. What if Tasmanians wanted to separate from Australia and become a seperate country and a member of NATO.

Not likely but in any case I say Taiwan's none of our business.
- Maybe others will disagree.

Russia, why would we want to have any part in 'cutting them at the knees by economic deterrence'
How does being involved in this serve our interests?

I don't have a problem with Russia being in Syria, they were invited there by Assad.
- It's the US that tries and often succeeds in overthrowing the leadership of other countries, and every time it does this hundreds of thousands of people die.

What makes you think were the good guys?

They talk about free trade well I don't have any problem buying Russian, Iranian, Syrian or Venezeulan oil and gas if its cheaper at the pump or my bill.
Posted by Armchair Critic, Sunday, 25 April 2021 12:31:59 AM
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[Cont.]

"Our economic leverage comes as an exporter of raw materials to China. While China can easily substitute for some of these, it can't for others, and diplomatic initiatives can block off some of these other avenues for substitution as well. It may not be palatable to stop iron ore shipments to China, and it will certainly have a destructive effect on the wealth of a number of Australians, but when dealing with a mercantilist government you need to use mercantilist strategies, as they will just exploit free trade to their own advantage."

* Hang on, is free trade a good thing or a bad thing now?
- Or is it just another tool we can use to mess with others?

What do we have that China can't get elsewhere?
They don't really need our meat, we sold them the live cows and the cattle farms.
And as a dying rusting nation, USA has plenty of scrapmetal to export.
I think more importantly China has things we can't easily get elsewhere.

Like lightbulbs and TVs for example, though we can get them from Japan and Taiwan.
I reckon the planet would slip back 50 years tomorrow if it weren't for China, the ways we've shut our manufacturing down to rely on cheaper producers, than now possess the skills in the technical age to do these things when we no longer possess such skills.

It's a pretty sad state of affairs, we all remember the days when 'Made in China' meant 'cheap crap that breaks really easily'
Posted by Armchair Critic, Sunday, 25 April 2021 12:36:45 AM
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.

Dear Graham,

.

Perhaps I should mention that I thoroughly approve any measures our state and federal governments take that affirm our democratic values and our sovereignty as an independent nation. Naturally, that includes Marise Payne’s decision to cancel Victoria’s Belt and Road agreements with China.

As a matter of fact, I would also like to see the same decision taken in respect of the 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin accorded by the Northern Territory government to the Chinese-owned Landbridge Group in 2015. Darwin is one of Australia’s most strategic ports, if not the most strategic port. Leasing it out to a foreign investor – whatever its nationality – is pure folly so far as I am concerned.

Unless I’m mistaken, I don’t think the Chinese government ceded an equivalent strategic national asset to an Australian firm on a 99-year lease. There does not seem to have been any reciprocity involved in the deal.

In which case, I think the best thing to do would be to cancel the lease, reimburse Lambridge Group the amount of its investment to date – with interest – explaining that we have decided that, in future, all national strategic assets must be under exclusive Australian management control.

If there happens to be an acceptable cancellation clause in the lease, then, obviously, it should be applied. If not, we should seek an equitable solution that would allow us to withdraw from our engagements as quickly as possible without causing major undue prejudice to the lessee. This could probably best be assessed by one of the top reputable business management consulting firms, i.e., KPMG, McKinsey, Deloitte, Boston Consulting Group, etc.

An orderly withdrawal would probably take several years to complete and, more than likely, be progressive. Personally, I can’t see why it could not be achieved by the end of the decade at the latest.

.
Posted by Banjo Paterson, Sunday, 25 April 2021 11:04:07 AM
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Banjo Paterson,

I'm glad to see that Australia has finally woken up to China's intentions. But there is still a long way to go.

Over the past 30 years Australia's politicians, bureaucrats and business people have been selling us out to the Chinese even to the extent that they were willing to let China transmigrate millions of its nationals to Australia and take ownership of a large part of Australia's economy, industries, infrastructure and property market, with principal ownership located in China.

A lot of damage has been done but I think there is still time to decouple from the Chinese monster and take back control of our destiny.

I think a message has to be sent to the Chinese that we will never allow ourselves to become slaves to the PRC in the way the Uighurs have been subdued. I think we should send a message to Xi and his thugs by nationalising things in the hands of the Chinese and sending Chinese nationals who are residing in Australia back to China.

We should be doing to Xi and the Chinese what Britain and France should have done to Hitler and the Germans in the 1930s.
Posted by Mr Opinion, Sunday, 25 April 2021 11:45:23 AM
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.

Dear Mr. Opinion,

.

I understand your concerns, but I can’t say I share them on such a broad scale as the sweeping remarks you made in your last post.

As I indicated in my previous post, I stand firm on the utmost respect for our democratic values and our sovereignty as an independent nation, neither of which should be ceded to foreign powers under any circumstances.

That is why I approve of Marise Payne’s decision to cancel Victoria’s Belt and Road agreements with China and would like our federal government to also cancel the 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin accorded by the Northern Territory government to the Chinese-owned Landbridge Group in 2015.

Apart from that, I see no reason why we should not maintain excellent relations with China and do everything in our power to facilitate and encourage as much mutually beneficial exchange as possible between our two countries in such domains as trade, commerce, non-strategic investment, education, research, culture, tourism, etc.

I can only reiterate what I wrote to Graham in my post on page 2 of this thread : “The current strategy, on both sides, of political brinkmanship, has already gone too far. We must promote conciliation, understanding, and cooperation instead.”

China is not only our leading trading partner, it is also our friend and neighbour in Asia. There is no reason why our different political regimes, different physical features, different customs, different cultures, and different worldviews should be anything other than a source of inspiration and enrichment for us both.

You also mention the Uyghurs, Mr. Opinion. Allow me to suggest that we reflect carefully on our treatment of our own Aboriginal peoples before we condemn the Chinese for the way they treat theirs.

Quite frankly, I think that in this domain, as in many others, a little modesty on our part would not go astray.

.
Posted by Banjo Paterson, Monday, 26 April 2021 6:34:38 AM
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Banjo Paterson,

I totally disagree with you.

I would put you in the pro-China camp and say that you fail to see the writing on the wall.

I assume this is because you have vested interests in China and that you see money as being more important than freedom.

When the worse comes (and it will) China might make you an honorary member of the PCR.
Posted by Mr Opinion, Monday, 26 April 2021 7:02:09 AM
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Banjo Paterson,

Looks like Dutton might have the same fears I have about China:

http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/china-is-militarising-ports-across-our-region/ar-BB1g17mS?ocid=mailsignout&li=AAgfYrC

I suppose the Chinese can take comfort in knowing that people like you are behind them.
Posted by Mr Opinion, Monday, 26 April 2021 7:37:28 AM
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A great article in my opinion. It makes good sense to me and surely should be mandatory reading for the politicians of the land, especially in Victoria. There is no doubt in my mind that the combination of cultural wokeness, critical theory, modern monetary theory etc., has damaged the western nations. It will take a black swan event to shake the West back into reality. Biden will have to go. Let's hope the black swan will not be WWIII.
Posted by Pliny of Perth, Monday, 26 April 2021 11:16:51 AM
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In my browsing I noted the following quote from Banjo Patterson - "You also mention the Uyghurs, Mr. Opinion. Allow me to suggest that we reflect carefully on our treatment of our own Aboriginal peoples before we condemn the Chinese for the way they treat theirs.".

May I respectfully declare that there is no legitimate comparison to make. The circumstances are vastly different. Further, allowing for the mistakes that colonists made the world over, the British settlement of Australia especially in the 20th century was marked by much good will and intention and money (even if sometimes mistakenly). At the present time there is much good will and determination to assist Australian aboriginals to become part of mainstream Australia. It is those who want the impossible dream (ie divide Australia into many sovereign states) who are causing problems.Good luck with that in the 21st century.
Posted by Pliny of Perth, Monday, 26 April 2021 11:26:28 AM
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Pliny of Perth,

The Uighurs are also seen by the central Chinese government as a threat to its ambition of creating a rejuvenated Chinese Empire in which the Uighurs will be seen as outsiders and not compatible with Chinese identity of race and culture.

Hmmm . . . . . . . echoes of Hitler's Nazi Empire.
Posted by Mr Opinion, Monday, 26 April 2021 11:43:37 AM
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Good analysis, Graham
Posted by Faustino, Monday, 26 April 2021 2:15:32 PM
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Banjo Paterson, the concept of a 100-year lease for the Port of Darwin was insane. At any reasonable interest rate, virtually no more will be paid for a 100-year lease than for a 15-20 year one. There was no rational reason for a longer lease rather than one which would come up for erenergotiation after 15-20 years. (Apart from the ridiculous idea of selling it to the Chinese regime, who will never be our friends.)
Posted by Faustino, Monday, 26 April 2021 2:25:28 PM
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.

Dear Mr. Opinion,

.

I wrote :

« China is not only our leading trading partner, it is also our friend and neighbour in Asia. There is no reason why our different political regimes, different physical features, different customs, different cultures, and different worldviews should be anything other than a source of inspiration and enrichment for us both »

And you replied :

« I totally disagree with you. I would put you in the pro-China camp and say that you fail to see the writing on the wall. »
.

You’re right, Mr. Opinion, I don’t see any writing on the wall. As a matter of fact, I don’t see any wall either. Maybe you have in mind the Great Wall of China, but so far as I know, there is no writing on it.

Let’s say we don’t see eye to eye on this one, Mr. Opinion. But, who knows, perhaps we could still be of a similar frame of mind – despite you seeing walls and my being blind.

What I have in mind is that the British created our nation by transplanting their outlaws to this island-continent in Southeast Asia a couple of hundred years ago. They colonised Asian territory, transplanted European culture in it, and let us get on with it.

We are the ring-ins here and we have to make the best of it. The Asians didn’t invite us. We were dumped here in chains by the British government and put to work with the whip. History is full of hostility between the British, the French, the Germans, the Italians, the Spanish, etc. Always fighting in Europe among ourselves. It’s no wonder if there’s still some hostility to strange-looking, ghost-like foreigners like us here in Asia. We are a pretty hostile mob too.

It all seems rather futile to me. As I said, I prefer conciliation, understanding, and cooperation instead. But that’s just my personal point of view.

If a majority of our compatriots want war, that’s fine with me, Mr. Opinion. I’ll fight. I always have.

I imagine you would too.

.
Posted by Banjo Paterson, Monday, 26 April 2021 11:01:00 PM
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.

Dear Mr. Opinion,

.

Thank you for that 9News article entitled “'China is militarising ports across our region” for which you posted a link in which Peter Dutton is quoted as having said :

« China is militarising ports across our region. We need to deal with all of that, and that is exactly what we are now focused on »

It’s a pity he didn’t do something about it when he was Minister for Immigration and Border Protection in Tony Abbott’s and Malcolm Turnbull’s governments in 2015 when the Northern Territory granted that 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin to the Chinese-owned Landbridge Group.

It would have been easy and cost us nothing to stop the deal from going through at the time. Now it will let all hell loose and cost a fortune to get us out of it.

And, by the way, you seem to have mistaken me for Peter Dutton, Mr. Opinion, when you wrote :

« I suppose the Chinese can take comfort in knowing that people like you are behind them. »
.

But, not to worry, Mr. Opinion, no harm done. As we have never seen each other, you had no way of knowing I have a full head of hair !

.
Posted by Banjo Paterson, Tuesday, 27 April 2021 12:03:54 AM
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Banjo Paterson,

I also have my hair. Difference is that unlike yours mine is not grey.

By declaring its intention to take Taiwan by force, China has declared itself a threat to world peace.

Russia is doing exactly the same thing with its actions supporting the East Ukraine rebel forces trying to undermine the Ukrainian State.

Australia should decouple from China, nationalise Chinese assets in Australia, and deport all Chinese nationals who have migrated to Australia.

I don't think it will stop the rot but at least it will give us breathing space to prepare for an imminent Chinese invasion.

PS I will not fight an Asian nation to protect an Asianized Australia. It doesn't make sense to do so.
Posted by Mr Opinion, Tuesday, 27 April 2021 7:01:13 AM
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.

Dear Pliny of Perth,

.

Commenting on my statement : “You also mention the Uyghurs, Mr. Opinion. Allow me to suggest that we reflect carefully on our treatment of our own Aboriginal peoples before we condemn the Chinese for the way they treat theirs”, you wrote :

« ... there is no legitimate comparison to make. The circumstances are vastly different. Further, allowing for the mistakes that colonists made the world over, the British settlement of Australia especially in the 20th century was marked by much good will and intention, and money (even if sometimes mistakenly). »
.

You paint a somewhat idyllic picture of British colonisation, Pliny. It’s a bit of a stretch of the imagination to consider that the estimated 90% reduction of the indigenous population between 1788 and 1900 due to colonisation was an act of “goodwill” on the part of the British government.

According to the historians, this dramatic reduction in population was due to three main factors : introduction of new diseases in epidemic proportions (mainly smallpox, measles, and influenza); expropriation of native land, depriving aboriginal peoples of their traditional food sources; hunting and killing Aboriginal peoples like wild animals.

And it’s a euphemism, to say the least, to qualify all this simply as “mistakes that colonists made the world over”.

Many Aboriginal people were exploited by the early settlers as slaves, food and tobacco being their sole recompense. They were often forced to work, badly treated and sometimes severely punished when they disobeyed their masters or tried to escape.

In addition, the early British and the following successive Australian colonial governments both systematically and relentlessly pursued a strict and vigorous policy of assimilation of the indigenous peoples into European culture. Children were confiscated and educated in Church missions or adopted out to European settlers.

The treatment of the Uyghur ethnic minority by the ruling ethnic Han majority in China is not as different as you seem to think from the manner the indigenous peoples of Australia were treated and, to a certain extent, continue to be treated by their colonisers :

http://www.3cr.org.au/asiapac/episode-201707080900/aboriginal-workers-fighting-against-slave-exploitation#:~:text=Aboriginal%20people%20in%20Australia%20have,known%20as%20the%20Stolen%20Wages%20.

.
Posted by Banjo Paterson, Tuesday, 27 April 2021 7:18:58 AM
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.

Dear Faustino,

.

You wrote :

« There was no rational reason for a longer lease rather than one which would come up for renegotiation after 15-20 years »
.

The Port of Darwin affair represents a serious failure of the federal government, Faustino.

As ABC News pointed out in an article published in 2019 :

« For years, the NT had lobbied the Commonwealth to invest millions in developing the rinky-dink Darwin Port that was only turning over a few million dollars annually in cattle, mining, and gas interests.

« Successive governments believed the port held the cure to the NT's economic maladies and that if it could be expanded and maintained, it would surely be a secret weapon in the NT's economic resurgence — and the rest of the nation's by extension — as Australia's "gateway to Asia".

« But for years, the Federal Government didn't see its potential — or at least not enough to invest in it. »

As Tony Abbott’s and Malcolm Turnbull’s federal liberal governments failed to provide the necessary funds to upgrade the port, in 2015, the Northern Territory’s Country Liberal Party government, granted the 99-year lease to the Chinese-owned Landbridge Group.

The logic behind the 99-year lease was that no major investor would have been prepared to provide the huge amount of funds needed, not only to upgrade the port and its infrastructure but also to provide first-class hotel accommodation close-by, that was also lacking at the time, unless that investor had a solid guarantee that it would have sufficient time to recuperate its investment and realise a profit.

The contract was put out to tender, and the Chinese-owned Landbridge Group was chosen by the specially-appointed Northern Territory selection panel as the winner of the competition.

.
Posted by Banjo Paterson, Tuesday, 27 April 2021 7:26:39 AM
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Banjo Paterson,

You fail to see the place of the Uighurs in imperial Chinese history.

They were peripheral to the central Chinese State but they were important to the State in maintaining order on the western edges of the Empire.

I think that the CCP is trying to depopulate the western fringe of traditional non-Chinese ethnic power groups, replacing them with Chinese (Han, Manchu, Mongolian, etc) in order to make the new Communist Chinese Empire pan-Chinese along lines of race and ethnicity.

Hence the action of the Chinese State to carry out a genocide of the Uighurs and follow up by filling the vacuum in the region with Chinese from the eastern provinces thus establishing a rejuvenated empire based on a principle of One Chinese - One China.
Posted by Mr Opinion, Tuesday, 27 April 2021 7:35:20 AM
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Banjo Paterson,

Imagine this:

NEWS FLASH . . . . . . . CHINA INVADES TAIWAN

Surprise, surprise! Who would have guessed!
Posted by Mr Opinion, Tuesday, 27 April 2021 7:56:38 AM
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Banjo said; They colonised Asian territory, transplanted European culture

Ahh, another victim of Mercator's projection of the world.
Australia is not in Asia, and is in fact on the other side of the world.
No doubt when you went to school they had a map of the world
on the wall and you believed it.
Info for you; Indonesia and the Philipines are not in Asia.
Australia is 33% larger than shown on Mercator's projection.
Russia is about half the size as shown.
Never fly or sail off with someone who has a Mercator map.
You will fall off the edge of the world.
Posted by Bazz, Tuesday, 27 April 2021 9:42:30 AM
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.

Dear Bazz,

.

You wrote :

« Australia is not in Asia .. »
.

Thanks for that, Baz. Yes, strictly speaking, in conventional geographical terms, neither Australia nor New Zealand is presently in Asia.

They are on separate tectonic plates to Asia. But even for the geographers, both countries are an integral part of the Asia-Pacific region, also known as Apac (Asia-Pacific).

And, as you may know, the tectonic plate we happen to be sitting on is gradually traveling north into what is currently known as Asia in conventional geographical terms. We are riding on what we might nostalgically and romantically call “a slow boat to China” :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZfWIXE7Fx4&ab_channel=dvvreeswijk

In fact, it’s so slow it is estimated that it will take us about 60 million years to reach our final destination. In 60 million years we will be able to walk on dry land across the border from Australia to continental China. Australia and China will have become one and the same continent.

So maybe, it’s a little premature to say that we’re actually part of Asia proper right now but it won’t be all that long before we are. Let’s say that, right now, we’re located in the outer suburbs of Asia and “en route” to move closer in.

Here is a video of our inward, north-bound journey “on a slow boat to China” :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hos7w8xrcEs&ab_channel=TechInsider

.
Posted by Banjo Paterson, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 5:21:24 AM
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.

Dear Mr. Opinion,

.

You wrote :

1. « You fail to see the place of the Uighurs in imperial Chinese history. »

I certainly don’t pretend to be an expert on that question, Mr. Opinion, but I have taken an interest in it, particularly over the past few months.
From what I can gather, your brief description more or less corresponds to my understanding of the situation. But, again, the similarities of colonisation and assimilation of indigenous peoples in Xinjiang and Australia are manifest.
.

2. « Imagine this: NEWS FLASH . . . . . . . CHINA INVADES TAIWAN »

It can’t be totally ruled out, and I’m sure China’s warlords have been working on it for years. Russia’s successful takeover of Crimea in 2014 has probably been closely examined as a good example of how they would like to take over Taiwan. No bloodshed, no counterattack, no military intervention by the US or NATO, no war. Just a peaceful annexation of what Russia considered to be historically and culturally part of its territory.

If it were to work for the Chinese in respect of Taiwan, it would have to be of a similar blitzkrieg (lightning attack) style, well-planned, well-organised, well-executed, and the timing would have to be right to coincide with the most favourable political conditions possible to avoid any intervention from the US and NATO.

The Chinese are neither crazy nor stupid. They do not want war any more than we do. As much as they want to recuperate Taiwan, I doubt that they will make any rash decisions or take any undue risks of failure. Chinese detest loss of face more than anything else. They will more likely bide their time – until all the indicators turn green.

At the same time, I’m sure they have not totally given up on diplomacy. If they can reach their objectives by peaceful means, they will surely do whatever they have to in order to succeed.

Nobody knows the Chinese better than the Chinese themselves.

Who knows what the future will bring ?

.
Posted by Banjo Paterson, Wednesday, 28 April 2021 7:04:14 AM
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Banjo,

Taiwan is a country of 25m people who vigorously oppose integration with China. It has an army of 290 000 with all adult males having military training and access to weapons in the event of an invasion. Their stock of anti-aircraft and anti-ship weapons is significant and it was estimated that the CCP would need an invasion force of at least 1m to have any chance of success. Any such build-up would be spotted well in advance and preparations made by the US to sink any troop carriers. To top this, there are 30 000 US troops based there with a massive US base 500km away at Okinawa. In short, any invasion would be a blood bath for which China would pay a huge price.

At the same time China's south sea islands would be exposed, as would its western flank to India, and it would almost certainly face a blockade of any shipping for an extended period.
Posted by shadowminister, Thursday, 29 April 2021 4:50:20 AM
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.

Dear shadowminister,

.

Yes, on paper, the ROC’s military defence seems to be fairly dissuasive. Whether everything would go according to plan, if war did actually break out, is another matter.

The US has no formal obligation to defend the ROC and it’s not anywhere near the top of the list of its most vital interests – quite the contrary, the US recognizes Taiwan as forming part of China.

The US interest in the ROC is more of an idealistic and humanitarian nature. Perhaps insufficient to justify US military intervention under international law as it could be judged to represent an unlawful intrusion in the domestic affairs of a sovereign Chinese nation.

So far, the Biden administration has voiced its support of the ROC in its resistance to the repeated acts of intimidation by the Beijing regime, but it remains to be seen if “Sleepy old Joe” would be prepared to risk an all-out war with China if it carried out its threat of invasion of Taiwan.

In the final analysis, sacrificing the ROC might be considered a safer option. If Taiwan were to integrate China, the US would no longer have to protect it, and the risk of a major war with China would subside considerably. Tensions throughout the region and its periphery would be allayed, and diplomacy would be revived.

Despite the capacity of the ROC to defend itself, as you describe so well, I doubt that it could resist an all-out military attack by China without the massive direct military intervention of the US in a timely manner.

I am by no means an expert on military matters, but it is the rapidity of the US reaction that seems problematic to me. It’s a decision that would be fraught with extremely grave consequences – which means that it must be taken at the highest level, by the president of the United States himself – and the delay of execution of the decision once it has been taken and relayed to the operatives, must be almost as rapid as the attack itself.

.
Posted by Banjo Paterson, Friday, 30 April 2021 8:42:12 AM
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