A second Chinese spy ship has joined the Tianwangxing which sailed into Australian waters last week to snoop on Australia’s 2021 Talisman Sabre War Games.
Adopting the credo of the loveable Mad Magazine mascot Alfred E. Neuman, Trade Minister Dan Tehan is “not worried”, according to The Canberra Times. In Government speak, that translates as, “Yes, we’re aware, but we can’t do anything about it since it’s not a direct act of war.”
Last week, the Tianwangxing paid its second intimidatory visit to Australia’s waters for a sticky on our biennial war games with the US. But either the PLA didn’t make a big enough splash with the Tianwangxing, or else somebody lost the captain’s binoculars.
Meanwhile, Canberra has moderated its tone. Far from the kind of ‘prepare for war’ talk we’ve heard, the new attitude is one of choosing words carefully and affirming maritime rules (that China laughs at).
“The thing that is important is everyone understands that we have rules and we want everyone to adhere to those rules and when it comes to freedom of navigation,” Tehan recited to Sky News’ Sunday Agenda program.
“It’s the same for our trade rules. There are trade rules in place and we want everyone to adhere to those. That’s the best way you can keep our region free, open, peaceful and prosperous.”
To be fair, that was a non-statement statement. A kind of ‘As long as they play by the rules.’ Thing is, but, whose rules are they and what game is it? The game the Chinese are playing is the ‘cold war’ rules, while the same could be said for ourselves and the US, given the whole charade concerns the threat posed by China.
Meanwhile, the invocation of the ‘trade rules’ could easily be a veiled swipe since the communist Disneyland haughtily violated those rules. So, in short, we get no insight into what the government thinks other than by what they aren’t saying.
Australians have a vague notion about potential hostilities with China. We know that it won’t kick off unless the US becomes involved. We assume that is to do with a sacred oath to protect Taiwan’s rule of ‘democracy.’ And that’s bullshit since the US couldn’t give two figs for Taiwan’s democracy if it means engaging in another hopeless war.
What it’s actually about is the supply of semiconductor chips manufactured exclusively in Taiwan that America’s military relies on as much as its commercial market. China, another market for Taiwan’s semiconductor trade, would gain even greater power by absorbing Taiwan.
If Australians think this means US support for our defence, then they’ve failed to read their Machiavelli. It means the US wants our support, not the other way round, and it’s about securing their microchips as much as trying to retain regional strength, an increasingly unlikely ask.
Today, it’s been reported that China’s new emperor, Xi Jinping has broken another promise.
US Military monitoring the disputed Spratley Islands in the South China sea has revealed that the communist monster has now permanently stationed combat aircraft on the artificial islands.
Intelligence indicates that the PLA has tightened its grip on the region with quick responsive Y-8Q anti-submarine patrol and KJ-500 airborne early warning & control (AWAC).
“This shows that China is attempting to increase its control over the region,” said Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) national executive direction Dr Bryce Wakefield.
“These aircraft will allow China to use assets in the region more effectively, its so-called maritime militia, for example, to wage their campaign of harassment in scenarios of a short war.”
Previously, they had claimed the fortressing of the islands was essentially an artificial port for fishing vessels with dual-military use.
Say what you want about Israel (and we usually do) but if that had been based near their waters they’d have blown it into a million pieces by now and passed the blame onto someone else.