Great stuff Bronwyn, why not volunteer with the KB (the author) and join the PRC party (problem is, they probably would want naïve woke fools for anything other than canon fodder, or to work as slaves in a "reconditioning facility" in Western Chiana!

Even better you could protest in the streets and write woke limp-wristed treatise in the Global Times about the foolish westerners who believe thy can resist Chaina's 100 year strategy for global unity.

If the Freedom of Chiana is too much for you, perhaps migration to NZ might suit you and KB, as they have no submarines and only two ageing Anzas class frigates, which won't pose much résistance to your comrades from Beijing.

How can any serious person interested in current affairs say anything kind about the CCP and its leadership of China?

yep, the US and West are hardly perfect, but the critics need to weigh up the alternative.

It is not until the recent talk about submarines that I have realised
the significance of the differences between diesel and nuclear
submarines has been apparent to me.
The French must also been aware how mad the idea of down converting an
existing design was, so why did they sign up for it ?
Did it just look like a giant honey pot ?

Give Britain a contract for two and the US a contract for two and then
build four of whichever is the best in SA.
We would get them much quicker and more reliably.

Anyway, China may get more desperate if their present troubles are
anything to go by. Did you see that news item about the big company
that has gone down the gurgler and had to demolish dozens of very high
blocks of units in Shanghai ?
Some had not reached the point of having windows fitted.
It was like watching dozens of World Trade centres except it was only
the investors millions that was lost not their lives.

Another article from an Author who appears to frequent a different Planet from the bulk of Australians

I did enjoy the comment

'Paris, along with EU member states, was in the process of formulating a clear Indo-Pacific strategy. Efforts were being made in creating "strategic partnerships" with Japan, Australia and India. Regional organisations such as ASEAN were being brought into the fold. Any "transatlantic pivot toward the Indo-Pacific" had to be taken "together".

Our Nuclear Subs will be scrapped before the EU states can agree on any military matters , TOGETHER . It's always 2 Euros each way with that lot .

As for ASEAN being brought into the fold ... Oh Dear !

Also as for 'Any "transatlantic pivot toward the Indo-Pacific" had to be taken "together".'

Only in the eyes of Bureaucrats in Brussels who have little interest in the defence of Australia .

Reading this Article was a waste of time .

its about we naïve in Australia that the only thing of value we "control" is this continent.

Our population is 26million (plus 300,00 native aboriginals).

This mega "landmass/continental" sized "aircraft carrier" is full of natural resources. So why do we still undervalue this continents value?

Chiana wants constrain, control and eventually own this valuable continent. So when will Australia learn to use its leverage>

About five years before, Australian conservative government made a deal and signed an agreement with France about submarines.
Then the conservative politicians foutght hard to convence us that the deal was the best one .
Fine years later the same conservative politicians try hard to convince us that the deal and contract was the worst one.
Can not the same conservative politicians for the same deal made by them say one time that the deal was the best deal and after that the same deal was the worst.
Australians deserve some respect.