Here's two jokes on China doing the rounds:

Two men in a Chinese prison are discussing their prison terms.
One says:

"I was sentenced to ten years, but I'm innocent."

The other replies:

"If you're innocent, it's only five years."

_____________________________________________________________

Three men in a Chinese prison:

The first one says:

"I'm here because I opposed Chairman Jinping."

The second one says:

"I'm here because I supported Jinping."

The third one says:

"I am Jinping."

'China Says We Must Not Visit Taiwan'
- Perhaps we shouldn't send a government delegation to Taiwan then.

Of course we could just go ahead and 'do whatever we want'
But is it worth the pain of the trade sanctions and tariffs that will follow?
- Aussie jobs?

What's more important?
Australian interests or Taiwanese interests?
Or is it U.S. interests?

How does it benefit Australia?
Do we have more to lose by sending the delegation, or more to gain?
If you think we have more to gain, then please explain your reasoning.

AC

As yet, there is nothing to say that the Albanese government will take any notice of the CCP; I hope it will do “what ( it) wants” and send visitors to Taiwan.

It is the arrogance and obvious aggression of the CCP in trying to dictate to Australia that is the issue.

“But is it worth the pain of the trade sanctions and tariffs that will follow?
- Aussie jobs?”

Of course it is. Jobs first. Thousands of manufacturing jobs in Australia have gone to China, with the manufacturing itself. Without those jobs, there is nothing for unskilled/semi-skilled workers left. The much-touted “green” jobs are just not there; any genuine jobs of the future, if there are any, will see a generation of people who lost jobs to Communist China too old to get back into the workforce.

Tariffs. CCP blackmail and bullying. I don't know how far back your memory goes, AC, but Australia was doing fine before the U.S. foolishly opened up the Communists’ membership of the WTO, the rules of which they have continually broken since they joined.

The only people who “needed” China then, and “need” it now are greedy billionaires and politicians; the people who don't give a stuff about us - just what they can get out of us.

Australian interests are paramount. But we shouldn't be relying on a Communist dictatorship if we want to protect those interests. America? Nothing to do with this topic.

How does it (the visit) benefit Australia? It enhances our belief in democracy. It shows China that we are not going to be a vassal state of their Communist dictatorship, that treats its own citizens and minorities like rubbish. We are siding with a fellow democratic country.

Also, if Taiwan and its islands go under, the CCP will have achieved most of its aim to cut us off from America.

China does not fear Taiwan, it rightly fears an "American Taiwan", with American personnel, armed with nuclear weapons stationed there, pointed at Chinese cities! These installations being added to the already 800+ in more than 70 countries, including Australia, Japan and South Korea where America has a belligerent military capability. These America installations are armed with nuclear weapons, and pointed at all its "enemies" and "friends", ready to be fired at a moments notice, from that silly old fool in the White House!

You must remember one crucial historical reality.
For a thousand years or so all surrounding countries have been
supplicants to the Chinese rulers.
This is a mindset that the communists are taking up with relish,
hence their attacks in the Sth China Sea.
In modern times "surrounding" has an expanded meaning because of the
modern speed of travel.
Under the modern meaning Australia is a dependant country.
There is a word for it but it escapes me.

So Australia has to remember its place.

Baz

Would the word that has escaped you be ‘vassal’, which means subordinate. Communist China wants Australia and other countries in the region to be subordinate to, or vassal states of, China.

Australia and the rest of the West started to pave the way for them the moment they allowed China into the WTO. Now, “harmless” trade is China’s main weapon in its war against us.

I am of the opinion that Albanese’s behaviour towards the dictator and “Chinese characteristics” indicates that he might not be adverse to the idea of vassal hood. There is nothing new about the governments of one country being puppets for foreign powers. The puppets still get the money and the perks, without the work.

Albanese is the laziest, responsibility-avoider ever to be PM of Australia. The truth is a stranger to him, too. He is also a coward, as evidenced by the aggressive Communist actions against the ADF.

To me, a liberal democratic country supping with evil, murderous Communism for any reason at all, including trade, is abominable.