In the 19th century us Westerners treated China not very nicely, one wonders whether they have forgotten?

Totally agree Paul.China has the scent of power in it's nostrils and nothing will stop it.They are now enslaving the US with cheap products with the low value of the Yen.You rightly observed that the US is absorbed with the Middle East and the war on Islamic Terrorism.

As I've observed previously,China could take Australia in an over night invasion.Previously I've made reference to Air Buses that can carry 1000 troops,but a more economic solution is the thousands of disguarded planes beyond their use by dates.They can be obtained. for next to nothing.

China could land a million troops here overnight before the US or Australia could mobolise and it would be all over before we awoke.

Would the US have the commitment or political will to honour our alliance in the wake of our invasion?It would be very doubtful.

I think we are living in a fools paradise and need to be more autonomous as reguards our security.

Paul Dibb, your article hits the nail on the head. I recently attended the Perth hearing of a Senate committee enquiring into our relations with China, and the part I heard were people keen on culture, language, and trade, with nary a thought about liberty, or the danger to our indigenous animals and plants, not to mention Aborigines and later settlers!
Well done. Thank you.
-- John Massam, Perth, 8 August 2005

Well, I'm new here so....

I do agree that China's lack of human rights is something to be concerned about. However, I think that many people from "The West" are far too quick to point out the problems with other countries without seeing their own.
To be sure, China isn't a free country and probably won't be for quite some time. However, the writer of this article is making the same mistake the American government made with the Russians, and that is, the assumption that China is a rising monster who will try to "take over the world".
This is just plain wrong. China is not governed by idiots. The leaders of China are quite intelligent and (unlike some Western governments) not completely blinded by their own sense of invincibility. They know they would lose a war with the United States, and they know the United States would respond to any aggression against Taiwan and Japan. China isn't so stupid as to fight a major war now, which would be an absolute disaster for their growing economy. China isn't going to fight against the USA. China isn't going to launch Nuclear weapons against us. China simply wants to grow and be respected, as it should be.

China may lose in a nuclear war against the US,but in a conventional war of soldier numbers ,will,cunning and discipline,they would annilhate the US.If China manufactures everything we need,are we going to ask for more bullits,computers,tanks,etc to counter an invasion.

Once our country is invaded,nuclear weapons are useless.If the US becomes really tied up in the Middle East,when push comes to shove,we will be expendible.