Aussies fear threat of war with China

[Ray]

Aussies fear threat of war with China | Herald Sun

ALMOST half of Australians think their country will face China's military might within 20 years, a poll has found.

On the eve of Prime Minister Julia Gillard's first trip to China, a Lowy Institute poll found 44 per cent of people think the Asian powerhouse will pose a military threat to Australia.

Of those people, 82 per cent thought Australia's land and resources could be a reason for an attack or invasion.

Most people worried about China's military rise think a war between China and the US, in which Australia would take part, is a more likely cause of strife.

The institute polled 1002 nationally representative Australians between March 30 and April 14.

The poll results highlight some of the diplomatic challenges Ms Gillard faces when she travels to Beijing.

Trade, human rights abuses and imprisoned Australians are other sticky issues experts say make any leader's visit to China a difficult balancing act.

Professor of Asian languages and studies at Monash University, Bruce Jacobs, said the poll results were not surprising because China had issued threatening statements in the region and was building arms.

"I think (concerns) are likely to increase," Prof Jacobs said.

But he rejected the theory Australia's resources or land would be reason for attack.

Australian concerns about human rights abuses and foreign investment are also high, the Lowy poll shows.

And as Ms Gillard today marks Anzac Day in South Korea, the poll shows the majority of people would support a war against North Korea if it attacked its southern neighbour.

Lowy Institute executive director Dr Michael Wesley said Ms Gillard must tread a fine line this week.

"The results show just how difficult it will be for Prime Minister Gillard to balance the economic demands of the relationship with the Australian public's concerns about human rights abuses in China, its military expansion, and negative perceptions about Chinese investment in Australia," Dr Wesley said.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/mo...f-war-with-china/story-fn7x8me2-1226044141380

Too bad.

But better late to realise than never.

 

[Yusuf]

Heard all this before but from Rudd onwards, Aussie policy has been baffling. They have been uneasy about china but contributing in all aspects to a Chinese rise just like the US did.

 

[nitesh]

So now, give us for F 22's more submarines, yada yada. But we will sell the minerals to Chinese

 

[civfanatic]

Don't know why they're worried. Any military attack on the ANZAC countries effectively means WWIII, with the US becoming directly involved.

Besides, China lacks the military capabilities to wage a war so far away from its borders.

This is just all hype, and a ploy to increase defence spending and weapons procurement. Apparently, Indonesia is no longer an effective bogeyman for the Aussie Defence Forces.

 

[SHASH2K2]

Australia pushes defence ties with Japan
​

TOKYO — Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard stressed the importance of strategic ties with Japan in the face of regional threats from terrorism and nuclear-armed North Korea.
She also emphasised the need to involve the United States to ensure stability in the Asia-Pacific region, as she prepared to visit South Korea and China, which has a growing economic and military influence on the region.
"We face a number of shared security challenges, which we work closely together to address, such as our work to counter terrorism in Southeast Asia and against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, not least the DPRK nuclear problem," Gillard told a news conference on Friday.
"Australia's relationship with Japan on security and defence issues has grown to become one of the closest and most important that either of us has," she said.
"As staunch US allies, Japan and Australia are as one in welcoming a continued forward presence of the United States in the Asia-Pacific as an important contribution to regional stability."
Gillard arrived in Tokyo Wednesday on a four-day visit for talks with Prime Minister Naoto Kan and to visit areas ravaged by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami that have left more than 27,000 people dead or missing and crippled a nuclear power plant.
She said Canberra and Washington were among the first to come to Japan's aid as it struggles with the atomic plant which has leaked radiation in the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986.
"We talk a lot about trilateral Australia-Japan-US cooperation," said Gillard, who met Kan Thursday.
"But this was the talk put into action, reflecting the close and enduring relations between our three nations," she said.
Her expression of friendship with Japan and the United States came as she prepared to visit South Korea and China, where she must strike a balance between economic and diplomatic interests with her country's biggest trade partner.
"Australia's perspective is that we have a comprehensive and constructive engagement with China. Our relationship is a positive one," she said.
"Obviously from time to time, we have our differences. Australia's perspective is that prosperous China, engaged in the region's affairs, is good for Australia, good for the region" including Japan, she said.
Gillard acknowledged an emotional disagreement over Japan's whaling programmes, only saying Australia would continue to try to bring the matter to the International Court of Justice.
Japan hunts whales under a loophole in an international moratorium that allows killing of the sea mammals for what it calls "scientific research", although the meat is later sold openly in shops and restaurants.

 

[nitesh]

If, US, Australia, Japan and Vietnam can come together, and form an alliance, with India supplying Vietnam with akash and Prithvis. It can form a tight ring around Chinese. But this is a long shot

 

[Rahul92]

If, US, Australia, Japan and Vietnam can come together, and form an alliance, with India supplying Vietnam with akash and Prithvis. It can form a tight ring around Chinese. But this is a long shot

I don't why USA came there but exact list will be INDIA,S.KOREA,JAPAN,VIETNAM,AUSTRALIA & May be even BHUTAN who Knows

 

[p2prada]

ZZZ. The country is weaker than Taiwan.

It's a silly way to increase defence spending.

 

[nitesh]

I don't why USA came there but exact list will be INDIA,S.KOREA,JAPAN,VIETNAM,AUSTRALIA & May be even BHUTAN who Knows

US has to be there for the facilitator role, and it has bases in japan and s korea. So obviously US will be invovled

 

[ganesh177]

Just a chapter of the book being written of cold war of US-CHINA.

 

[Rahul92]

Just a chapter of the book being written of cold war of US-CHINA.

May be US-CHINA in a cold war but still it doesn't decrease the importance of INDIA

 

[nimo_cn]

If, US, Australia, Japan and Vietnam can come together, and form an alliance, with India supplying Vietnam with akash and Prithvis. It can form a tight ring around Chinese. But this is a long shot

Well, you are overestimating China. Just one India is enough to take on China.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Take this article with a grain of salt. Aussies are the biggest suppliers of uranium to China; and never concerned once about the proliferation or brought up the NPT violation (like they do with India).

 

[Ray]

US is at it to tighten the noose!

 

[no smoking]

This so called asia nato can hardly be built.
Why, because everyone wants others to do the dirty work-confront with China face to face while she could still maintain a good economic relationship with China.
The only one who has the motivation and ability to do it is India. But she has no gut to do it.

 

[Ray]

It takes time to build alliances.

It just does not mean that it comes up with the wave of a magic wand.

Initially, it is a concept, then a loose alliance and then, depending on the environment, it becomes a pact.

A loose alliance is very much on the cards, more so with China reneging on its so called Peaceful Rise and transmogrifying into aggressive actions with the intent to seize all territory and waters, even well away from its shores!

It is better and cleverer to be a threat in being than go to war.

 

[pmaitra]

With Australia's dilly-dallying about Uranium sales to India, how optimistic can one be about future collaboration between India and Australia in military spheres? Recent unfortunate incidents do not help either.

Trust takes time to inculcate, can be lost quickly and alliances can only come later.

Furthermore, Australia has a sea barrier, while India is nestled with PRC with a long and disputed border.

How far should India go if at all an alliance with Australia seems realistic?

 

[Virendra]

Even India doesn't want to engage. It is this unavoidable fact that we've to always live next door to each other that has led to not only an uneasy slience between India China but also the occasional skirmishes.

Given its fit in the geopolitics, India would always be an integral part of any counter China policy or formation. Its just upto the individual nations to realize this. so far Aussies have played in an utterly confusing manner. Even if I go back to summarize decades of Australian policies towards India, I won't come back optimistically. From here, the relations to improve so much that a strategic alliance pops up is a very very long shot - wishful thinking, if I could be blunt.
There needs to be a long and consistent time period of common grounded foreign and trade policies betwen India and Australia. Only that could prep up the base for a lasting alliance. Existence of a fear is just not enough.

Regards,
Virendra

 

[bhramos]

Australia sees India same as it sees China, Oz were the first to comment or oppose of India getting Akulla-II and Tu-22M3's, they fear of India as same they fear of China, so they help Pak in all cases to counter India. so dont expect any Oz-India alliance.....

 

[pmaitra]

Australia sees India same as it sees China, Oz were the first to comment or oppose of India getting Akulla-II and Tu-22M3's, they fear of India as same they fear of China, so they help Pak in all cases to counter India. so dont expect any Oz-India alliance.....

I agree with most of what you said. I, however, was a bit surprised about Australia helping Pakistan. Could you cite some examples please? Thanks.