Here
and
Now

opinions

Australia faces down China in high-stakes strategy

5 Comments
By Kirsty Needham

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Thomson Reuters 2020.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

5 Comments
Login to comment

Keep up the pressure. The moribund Chinese Communist Party is ready to fall. There’s no need to pick up arms. It’ll be / it is an implosion.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

China needs to do more to fix the relationship with Australia. Stop meddling in politics and donating to certain politicians who are Chinese puppets. Stop Chinese students interfering in universities and complaining when Taiwan is mentioned and not as a part of "one China". Stop the mini trade war it is leveling at Australia and stop disparaging Australia in general when there are disagreements.

China continues to act as if it can dictate to other nations on things from sailing in international waters in the South China sea's, stopping others from fishing in their own EEZ with large numbers of Fishing militia vessels and coast guard ships. The communist leaders are so used to dictating all things in China that they now falsely think they can do the same to other countries.

Australia is standing up to the bully and will continue to do so in order to support its own values and interests.

If push comes to shove Australia can always withhold 60% of China's iron ore imports and a large portion of energy imports as well. It would have a cost but if it takes China down a peg or two it is worth it.

If China does not respect Australian sovereignty then it should expect push back and it should not complain if Australia shows a similar lack of respect toward China.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

On the one hand, Chinese seem to easily offended. On the other hand, they have, historically, been treated very badly by foreigners, even fellow Asians. Cue in the British Opium Wars, and the Japanese invasions.

The decision by the Chinese government to confront the world, by trying to seize areas in the ocean which have up to now been open to all, has offended and worried countries all over the world.

The decision by the Chinese government to interfere in the internal politics of other countries may seem reasonable to an absolute dictator, but is very foreign to countries not used to such things.

On the whole, IMO, China and the rest of the world have more reasons to get along than not to. Part of the problem is directly related to Xi, whose unconstrained power seems normal to him, but not to the rest of the world. What the Chinese may view as a benevolent dictatorship is not seen that way by others when he tries to throw his weight around outside of China.

In the article a reference was made to how France failed to stand up to Nazi Germany before World War II. (A more accurate reference to history would say that Britain and France failed to stand up to Hitler, not just France.) IMO, the current situation is closer to how things stood before World War I. The world at that time slid into a mostly unnecessary and unwanted war, because men put pride before reason.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Chinese may view as a benevolent dictatorship

Most Chinese don't view their government as benevolent in any way. The problem is the CCP is too powerful and entrenched to remove from power without a great deal of bloodshed and probably much loss of wealth and property. Until a period arrives in China when people feel they have less to lose from confronting the CCP than from going along with them nothing much will change.

I will say that the possibility of an internal coup against Xi Jinping is possible, perhaps even likely. That won't remove the CCP from power but it might tone down some of the aggression. Many Chinese view Xi as responsible for turning much of the world against China.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites