History tells us that we should exhaustively challenge claimed justifications for war.
The possibility of imminent war is a new thing for Australia,but we’ve been warned by an expert panel we must be ready to fight within three years.
Australia,the United States and Japan would join Manila in a proposed new Quad bloc being discussed as tension increases in the South China Sea.
The Philippines’ coast guard says a green laser affected the crew on one of its vessels. It’s the latest incident in the South China Sea worrying the US.
Indonesia and Vietnam have agreed to develop a gas field in the area claimed as Indonesia’s EEZ,with a total estimated investment of more than $4.3 billion.
“The biggest lie at the moment is that we are doing ‘freedom of navigation operations’ in the South China Sea ... We’re not Dora the Explorer or Matthew Flinders.”
After 28 trips to 24 countries,Australia’s foreign affairs minister made her most important trip to date when she met with Chinese Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday.
When Whitlam visited in 1971,four years before I became China correspondent,MacMahon sneered that he’d been taken for a ride. I’m sure Wong’s visit will be different.
The Matsu Islands appear so serene but beneath the fisherman’s houses are bunkers;across the bay,signs tell residents to be “prepared to fight”.
Australia needs to start thinking more deeply about the very real prospect of a war with China – and it must appreciate that Taiwan is only one potential trigger for conflict.
With increasing interest from China in the region,Australia is right to be concerned about what happens to the islands.