"It is the arrogance and obvious aggression of the CCP in trying to dictate to Australia that is the issue."
- If the Chinese said 'Don't jump off a cliff' or 'Don't step in front of a bus' would you do it anyway to spite them?
My question is why are you so determined to do something that goes against our best interests?
What is it exactly that we have to gain?

And why cant you weight up the potential benefits and compare them to the potential costs and come to a conclusion that it's not in our best interests?

"Thousands of manufacturing jobs in Australia have gone to China, with the manufacturing itself."
- Capitalism goes wherever it's most profitable.
Don't you like capitalism, would you rather socialism or communism.
The fact is we are the losers of capitalism, because we can't compete.
That's why all the jobs went to China.

"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."
- That's what losers say when they can't compete.
"You broke the rules"

Tariffs will do more harm to the US economy.

"The only people who 'needed' China then, and 'need' it now are greedy billionaires and politicians"
You mean the ruling class, elites and political donors who can afford to 'buy' democracy.
- I thought you said democracy was a great system?

WEST'S COLOSSAL MISTAKE: US Decline, Rise of BRICS, Tariffs Damage US Economy |Prof. Richard Wolff]
http://youtu.be/7KFSFQidUiQ

FYI, from what I understand Richard Wolff is a Marxist economist, but the guy has some pretty insightful knowledge when it comes to capitalism and current global events.

I don't claim to be the know-all of everything, but some of you would do well to expend your knowledge of things.
You criticise me for adding links too often ttbn, but many I add are great brain food.

Dialogue Works is also a great channel.
http://www.youtube.com/@dialogueworks01

"How does it (the visit) benefit Australia? It enhances our belief in democracy."
- It also enhances our belief in stupidity, and 'I have a war on stupid', so there's that.

"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."

Like America? that give us endless wars, global overthrows, LGBTQ+ (isn't the plus for beastiality) the wholesale selloff of Australian public assets into private hands, overpriced US weapons and our kids signed up to fight US wars on their behalf like the goddamn Ukrainians, Muslim kids threatening to behead Aussie school teachers and Albo Dutton and the fecken eKaren, all for a so-called 'lucky country' that your kids and grandkids can hadly even afford to purchase a home in.

- Your 'democracy' is looking more like a failed shite-show these days, no offense.

We'd better figure out what's wrong real quick.

I'll take a hard-pass on 'Randy Rainbow'.

Why is it that that homosexuals have to advertise their seedy perverted sides to everyone?
Just the name itself implies he wants everyone to know his anus is 'open for business'.

Ewww.
Not interested your perversions, keep them to yourself pal.
- And stay away from the bloody kids.

Dear Critic,

«My question is why are you so determined to do something that goes against our best interests?
What is it exactly that we have to gain?»

Why do your words remind me of the serpent in the Garden of Eden, talking to Eve...

Does one only act because of "interests" and "gain"?

How about just doing the right thing for itself?

How about some compassion for the good people of Taiwan who are at threat of falling into the terrible jaws of communist China?

What if instead it was you and your family who would be faced a similar threat?

"Why do your words remind me of the serpent in the Garden of Eden, talking to Eve..."

Well that's interesting.
Firstly I'm going to assume that your opposition to settlers and messianic beliefs (which I champion) means that you have no affiliation to serpent worship or Leviathon love...

And with that in mind...
I'd point out that I'm not trying to convince anyone to eat any forbidden fruit, it's a bad analogy.
If anything it's you that wants to force me (your fellow countryman) to eat it.

"Does one only act because of 'interests' and 'gain'?
How about just doing the right thing for itself?"

What is the right thing?

Let's say Tasmania decided to break away from Australia.
(And you could say that's a bad analagy too because Taiwan was never ruled over by the CCP, but you could probably also say Taiwan was never a sovereign democratic nation prior to the Chinese civil car either)
But lets say that happened Tasmania broke away from Australia and China was providing support to the Tasmanian separatists...
Wouldn't we as Australians, kindly and respectfully ask the Chinese to please stay out of our internal affairs?
That we hope to make peace with the Tasmanian separatists.
What good does it do our nation to piss off our largest trading partner?

I'm not against the Taiwanese people.
But they have to decide what's best for them on their own.
Not what's best for them on the basis we'll send our kids to die for their cause.

Dear Critic,

«Let's say Tasmania decided to break away from Australia.»

And you may already be aware that I would support it: http://forum.onlineopinion.com.au/thread.asp?article=22981#395426

«But lets say that happened Tasmania broke away from Australia and China was providing support to the Tasmanian separatists...»

No need for separatists - I should hope that we all remain good friends, Tasmania and the mainland, even still connected by NATO-like and Euro-like alliances.

Then what would, do you propose, the Chinese be supporting them with?

«What good does it do our nation to piss off our largest trading partner?»

We should just do what is right, not in order to piss off anyone.
If China chooses to get pissed off as a result, then that's up to them. They are getting pissed off anyway, even with smaller things.

BTW, the fact that we still trade with China is a tragedy - we should rather produce all we need ourselves (and what we cannot produce, just do without).

«But they have to decide what's best for them on their own.»

That is like saying that the Jews have to decide on their own whether they want to go to Auschwitz.

What free-born person would ever voluntarily want to subject themselves to an authoritarian communist regime?

The only consideration of the Taiwanese, is not whether they want but whether they CAN afford to remain independent without being invaded and killed - and this is where good people should help them.

«Not what's best for them on the basis we'll send our kids to die for their cause.»

You should know very well that I would never do that.
Conscription is the worst evil in the world.
But if my kids freely volunteer to go and help the Taiwanese people, knowing well that they could be killed in that war, then I would support and appreciate them for it.