Labor and the LNP will sooner or later be pressured by the US into Australia "lockstep" following the US into another war. This time for an endless defence of Taiwan.

Truth be known Taiwan is too far to send our submarines. The Collins cannot do a round trip (transits then time on station) that far.

So we'll be sending a couple of destroyer/frigates and a supply ship.

All easy meat for China's DF-21D anti-ship missiles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DF-21#DF-21D .

Maybe 500 RAN dead - and for nothing.

Like the US led us into Afghanistan, for nothing in the end. It took the Taliban 3 days to takeover. That was after US, Australia and other trusting allies withdrew the majority of troops from Afghanistan after that endless US led war.

Best to support the agreed US-Taiwan status quo, ie. the Taiwanese do the fighting. Others supply ammo - as in Ukraine.

Here is our agreement with the PRC regarding Taiwan :

JOINT COMMUNIQUE OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT AND THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC
REL~ATIONS BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND CHINA

The Australian Government and the Government of the People's
Republic of China, in conformity with the interests and common desire
of the two peoples, have decided upon mutual recognition and the
establishment of diplomatic relations as from 21 December 1972.

The two Governments agree to develop diplomatic relations,
friendship and co-operation between the two countries on the basis of
the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity,
mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs,
equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence.

The Australian Government recognises the Government of the
People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China,
acknowledges the position of the Chinese Government that Taiwan is a
province of the People's Republic of China, and has decided to remove
its official representation from Taiwan before 25 January 1973.

The Government of the People's Republic of China appreciates
the above stand of the Australian Government.

The two Governments have agreed to exchange Ambassadors as
soon as the administrative formalities and practical arrangements have
been completed, and to provide each other with all the necessary
assistance for the establishment and performance of the functions of
diplomatic missions in their respective capitals on the basis of
equality and mutual benefit and in accordance with international law
and practice.

For the Australian Government
(signed) Alan Renouf
Australian Ambassador to France

For the Government of the People's Republic of China
(signed) Huang Chen
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to France

Paris, 21 December 1972

http://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/original/00003119.pdf

.

Thanks Banjo

The key part, which Australia agreed to, which is still legally in force, being:

"The Australian Government recognises the Government of the
People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China,
acknowledges the position of the Chinese Government that Taiwan is a
province of the People's Republic of China..."

The rest at http://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/original/00003119.pdf

"The Australian Government recognises the Government of the
People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China,
acknowledges the position of the Chinese Government that Taiwan is a
province of the People's Republic of China..."

So what's wrong about it?

ACKNOWLEDGING can be quite different than agreeing.

Yes, Australia understands and agrees that the position of the Chinese government is such-and-such - big deal... even the Chinese themselves know that this is not true!

Beijing hardly said, "Taiwan is an integral part of China," until in 1972 Nixon and Kissinger went to meet with Mao Zedong. Since then China has come to say so often and with self-assurance.

In 1871 over fifty Japanese fishermen were killed by indigenous Taiwanese. The Japanese government demanded indemnity but Beijing replied that Taiwan was not under its jusridiction.

Both Taiwan and Korea began to develop and industialise themselves under Japanese rule. Japan's economic infrastructure investment in Taiwan was massive, not the US post-war investement. The average annual economic growth rate in Korea during the thirty-five years of Japanese rule was over three percent. Its populatin almost doubled and its GDP far more than doubled. I am afraid reasons for Korean animosty toward Japan should be found somewhere else, not in Japan but in Korean cultural pathology.
There are, roughly speaking, two political forces in Taiwan. those who came from China (Chinese) and those who have been there all the time (Taiwanese). The former makes up the Kuomintang Paty and the latter the Minjin Party. Lee Teng-hui (Li Ting-hui) was tht first Taiwanise President. The present President comes from the Minjin Party.