. February 2022 Chinese warship directs laser at an ADF aircraft.
. June 2022 Chinese fighter jet drops chaff in front of ADF aircraft.
. November 2023 Chinese warship injures ADF navy divers with sonar.
. May 2024 Chinese fighter drops flares in front of ADF Helicopter.

According to Peter Layton (‘Deterring China’s military violence against Australia’) repeating an aggressive act four times “shows intent”.

“It is now plausible that the Chinese military’s grey zone actions may in the near future seriously injure, or even kill, Australian military personnel”.

Layton suggests that China may be working under “misapprehensions” given that its aggression so far has been met with only “verbal rebukes”.

Some “tangible threat” is needed. Expelling some consulate staff would be a good start. Other countries do it. Why not Australia? Banning Chinese investment in Australia, and sanctions on Chinese imports could also work - particularly raw materials that allow China to make cheap things to sell back to us. The reintroduction of SEATO is another suggestion. We do have allies, apart from the US, like Japan, the Philippines, South Korea in the region, also constantly bullied by the Communists.

“ … China’s growing aggression is an international concern”. Australia is not on its own.

https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/deterring-china-s-military-violence-against-australians

ttbn,

Maybe we should keep out of China's backyard, its called the South CHINA Sea, not the South AUSTRALIAN Sea. As a committed lackey of US imperialism the Noalition tried your idea of a bit of "shirt fronting" of the Chinese on Americas behalf, and look where that got us!

Paul

Sensible comments and opinions are always welcome, but you are just a self-embarrarrising idiot.

I'm reminded of another gutless and gormless “leader” , something like the lot in Canberra.

General George Elphinstone, in 1842 Afghanistan ignored the brutal murders of his senior officers and men by an Afghan chieftain; believed the chieftain's assurance that he and 16,000 or so thousand troops and civilians would have free passage out of Afghanistan to safety in India.

As a consequence of the general's stupidity and naivete, even during the Afghanistans’ harassment and killing of the British as they struggled through appalling winter conditions to get away, one person - just a single human British person of the 16,000 who left tried to leave Afghanistan, reached India.

Elphinstone found excuses for not retaliating when he should have. Just as our cowardly leaders are doing now. Oh, hang on, ours don't even make excuses: Albanese just refuses to ‘discuss’ such things with us.

No ADF personnel have been killed - so far. What will Albanese do when it happens. Have a chat with Xi? Will he speak about the four incidents to the Chinaman who is due here shortly? Will we ever know?

Given the contempt with which China treats Australia, it is a disgrace that their Communist officials are allowed - probably invited - to come here.

"Given the contempt with which China treats Australia, it is a disgrace that their Communist officials are allowed - probably invited - to come here."

“Jaw, jaw is better than war, war.” Churchill (maybe).

mhaze

I believe it was actually Harold Macmillan who said that.

Fair enough. But Albanese and his crew have been found not to be doing that. There was a government department sqeak (so they say), but the bloke who should be doing the jawing, Albanese, is not doing it. A proven liar, he now is now firmly a 'no comment' man. And we have all seen him fawning over, and pawing, the Communist Dictator Xi, as if they were best friends.

Albanese takes none of a Prime Minister's obligations seriously, the most obvious example of that being the defence of Australia, Australians and our defence personnel.