China , rattling the sabre, threatens Australia

Yeah, in diplomacy you don't influence a country by shouting at it, particularly a country like China where 'face' is so important.
The Chinese have long believed, rightly or wrongly, that the West has exploited and denigrated them. They have not forgotten the British invasion over opium, which did huge damage both to China's population and to its national pride. They will never forgive the Japanese for the 'rape of Nanking' and similar events.
They have a national interest in seeing their growing economic power recognized in their relations with their neighbours and other countries. That makes them no different to the way the USA relates to its neighbours, for example, or the way Australia seeks to dominate the South Pacific.
Australia has nothing to gain by insulting China. For what it's worth, I think Australia's best interests lie in peaceful co-operation with China. Keep the trade routes open and be careful about what we say in public.

Australia does not seek to "dominate" the South Pacific.
"Face"?..ALL countries are entitled to it, as long as it is not at the expense of any other Country's "Face",..Australia included.
Pickles.

Something people may find of interest here is China runs its own version of NATO called the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangh...n_Organisation

It is both the US and Aus that are constantly flying over the international trade routes with their aircraft and moving through with their naval forces to show that the international community doesn't agree with China closing said international trade routes as they become Chinese territory.

It works in our favor for import and export to help the US and other allies patrol this area. On a military level we cant patrol these areas with our 40 war ships and 260 planes on our own.

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Originally Posted by ozeraser

Something people may find of interest here is China runs its own version of NATO called the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangh...n_Organisation

It is both the US and Aus that are constantly flying over the international trade routes with their aircraft and moving through with their naval forces to show that the international community doesn't agree with China closing said international trade routes as they become Chinese territory.

It works in our favor for import and export to help the US and other allies patrol this area. On a military level we cant patrol these areas with our 40 war ships and 260 planes on our own.

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China hasn't closed trade routes , the risk is at times of tension, It could do so a lot easier if the International court ratified the occupation of the islands. It is not in China's interests to close trade routes. We shouldn't kid ourselves, the flights over, and transit of ships through, are primarily to send a message to Asia that the USA is still in the game. The SCO is not a major military alliance yet, interesting to see one of the major leaders in the SCO is Mr Putin. Interesting times indeed. I think an old Asian proverb is, you have the clocks, we have the time.

'Australia' is an island that has been stolen and built and armed, and is telling others to keep away.

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Originally Posted by bob10

China hasn't closed trade routes , the risk is at times of tension, It could do so a lot easier if the International court ratified the occupation of the islands. It is not in China's interests to close trade routes. We shouldn't kid ourselves, the flights over, and transit of ships through, are primarily to send a message to Asia that the USA is still in the game. The SCO is not a major military alliance yet, interesting to see one of the major leaders in the SCO is Mr Putin. Interesting times indeed. I think an old Asian proverb is, you have the clocks, we have the time.

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Spot on. China has no reason to close trade routes - it wants them open to supply its industries and move its exports.
And Australia certainly does dominate our part of the Pacific - just ask our neighbours.
Its normal for a country to want to dominate its region.

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Originally Posted by MrLandy

'Australia' is an island that has been stolen and built and armed, and is telling others to keep away.

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I would certainly disagree with that.
And of course Disco, I disagree with you.
The "Cause" of the subject of this thread was that China has "built" Islands, armed them, then claimed excessive territorial rights around them, & warned other Countries to stay away. NOBODY else has done anything remotely similar, certainly not Aussie.
And what China has done has been deemed illegal by a proper international court.
There is only one "aggressor" here, & that is China.
Of course I hope, & I really believe, that in the end there'll be no real drama here, but IMHO Countries that are standing up to China, like we are, are doing exactly the right thing, otherwise where will it stop.
And finally, if anyone here thinks that China gives a stuff about us, or anyone else for that matter, they are IMHO, dreaming.
Pickles.

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Originally Posted by Pickles2

NOBODY else has done anything remotely similar, certainly not Aussie.

Pickles.

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China would disagree with that ;

"Even with a scarce population and vast land, Australia has disputes with other countries over territory. It claims nearly 5.9 million square meters of land in the Antarctic, accounting for 42 percent of the continent. In order to back its territorial claims, Australia even brought up the activities of the British in the Antarctic as evidence.

Since The Antarctic Treaty was signed, all territorial claims over the continent were suspended. Canberra then raised another claims to demand the Antarctic continental shelf. It cited Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to avoid a demand by arbitration by others.

Both historical rights and the exemption of arbitration as ruled in Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea were denied by the arbitration tribunal. Australia showed blunt double standards as if no one had a memory of what it did and said over the Antarctic."

This is an interesting talk given at the University of Sydney, back in 2010, by Prof. John Meirsheimer. The last 9 paragraphs relate to Australia.


News | The University of Sydney

There always seems to be something for us to worry about.

That talk is predicated on the presumption that China continues to rise economically. I wonder how long that rise can be if China does not address the issue of corruption effectively.
Another country that relies heavily on the sea lanes to Australia's north is India. India's economy could mirror that of China's. What then? Those narrow waterways could end up being chock full of antagonistic warships.
A bonus, I suppose is that the Pirates would be contained.