CHINA has been warned to re-consider its aggressive stance as “credible” military forces align against it.
Australia’s former Army Chief, General Peter Leahy, said a hot war with China now appeared inevitable given its escalation of aggressive and assertive actions.
- Hot war with China appears inevitable given its aggressive and assertive actions.
- A growing number of aligned nations have forced Chinese government onto back foot.
- Conflict could occur within two years and the flashpoint “could very well be Taiwan”.
“We’re seeing not only China’s military capabilities – which they’re expanding quite rapidly – but also their diplomatic approaches, their misinformation and their cyber attacks,” Mr Leahy told Sky News today.
Since retiring from the Army in 2008, Mr Leahy has taken up a position as Director of Canberra’s National Security Institute.
He says a growing alliance of nations was standing up to China, which had forced the Chinese government onto the back foot.
CREDIBILITY
“The fact that allied nations are standing together enforces the point that there is strategic credibility and that China needs to reconsider,” Mr Leahy said.
“The Americans are strengthening their defences. Admiral Davidson from Indo-Pacific Command is after more money and more capabilities.
“We’re seeing regional countries stand up to China: the Philippines in recent activities, we’ve also seen activities out of Indonesia and I think very importantly The Quad – India, Japan, the US and Australia – is taking on some strength.
“Which is suggesting to the Chinese that we’re serious about this.”
Since the outbreak of the Wuhan virus early last year, Chinese forces have occupied Hong Kong turning it into an authoritarian State, threatened the independence of Taiwan, engaged in border conflicts with India and reneged on its Free Trade Deal with Australia.
It has also strengthened it rhetoric on the South China Sea and allegedly engaged in worldwide cyber attacks.
Mr Leahy said conflict could occur within two years and that the flashpoint “could very well be Taiwan”.
“Right now we’re being attacked across the spectrum of capabilities. The cyber attacks, the information attacks,” he said.
“I think [former Defence Minister] Christopher Pyne was quite correct when he said the major task that we have is to use diplomacy to make sure we don’t get into a kinetic or shooting war.
“I have some concerns over that. I think the potential [for war] is there.”
The former Army boss said he was also worried about the South China Sea.
“In the relatively confined area of the South China Sea the chance for misadventure is very high,” Mr Leahy said.
“There’s lots of ships and the Chinese Coast Guard now has authority to fire.
“We need to be careful right now. There is tension and I’m not sure how people are going to react right across the board.”PC
Good to see there’s a “QUAD”. I would like to another set added to this – Indonesia, Fifi, Tonga and Samoa plus a set of bouncing triplets – Vanuatu, PNG and Kiwi land – to add to Taiwan. Hong Kong could well be the pre-school with South Korea and Malaysia and probably the UK and Europe the prefects. Then if I was running China – and presumably their allies Russia and N Korea – I would think that it was all too hard because – after all – what’s it all about?
As far as I can see, nothing that can’t be sorted out diplomatically – as long as everybody holds their Sovereign Rights nerve.
They should realise that the smaller countries are adept at using the biggest weapons – computer hacking!
[…] As far as I can see, nothing that can’t be sorted out diplomatically […]
That’s quite true; after all, sworn enemies Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia entered into a non-aggression pact in 1939, and that worked out pretty well, didn’t it?
Not only that, Neville Chamberlain managed to secure “Peace in [his] time” by selling out the Sudetenland, in what is now recognised as one of history’s greatest diplomatic master strokes.
So yes, diplomacy has got a lot going for it, which I think is all down to the exemplary quality of the average diplomat. I mean, look at that wonderful bloke Kevin Rudd – he was a diplomat, among other things, before he decided to pursue a career as a professional whinger.
Wonder if all troops from around the world coming home from Afghanistan is in preparation for something? Mmm?
China will do what it can to dominate production goods and trade. A saying goes: “the occasion makes the thief”
China is openly looking for confrontation and war with the US, what country will be next if the take over of Taiwan is allowed, don’t tell me Australia is not on China’s list!
News Flash… China has already launched its first strike about 16 months ago…
Reading this from America because non of our news outlets here in the US will report anything about China.