neo29
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ONE of Australia's most senior military officers has warned that the appearance of the first Chinese aircraft carrier within the next five years poses the "greatest risk" to regional harmony.
He adds that Australia runs the risk of "martyrdom" in the case of any China-US conflict.
The warnings come amid unease across Asia about China's growing military power – particularly the rapidly expanding People's Liberation Navy – and its new-found aggression in territorial disputes with neighbours such as Japan and Vietnam.
"Each of the Pacific nations will manage China's carrier ambitions differently, but the US response will set the regional tone," Brigadier General John Frewen wrote in an essay published in the US's Joint Force Quarterly's third-quarter edition.
"For Australia, the choices include retaining US security dependence, thereby risking a form of martyrdom, or pursuing greater defence self-sufficiency. The debate about genuine self-sufficiency has not been held in any substantial way."
The essay won the US Secretary of Defence's National Security Essay Competition for this year, the first time the award has been given to a non-US officer.
The paper has emerged as Australia's most senior military officers prepare to travel to China for the annual Defence Strategic Dialogue.
Australia upset China last year with the release of its defence white paper, which effectively said China was a potential threat in the region and made the surprise call for 12 new submarines to be added to the fleet.
"The unintended consequences of Chinese carriers pose the greatest threat to regional harmony in the decades ahead," General Frewen states. He noted that China did not have an Incident At Sea agreement with the US, similar to one that existed to defuse incidents between the US and Russia from 1972.
"Without an agreement to moderate sea incidents, it may be impossible to realise a 'harmonious ocean' between a Chinese carrier-capable navy and other regional navies in the South China Sea and Pacific."
The Defence Department said Brigadier Frewen's views did not represent the government's.
Last week, Australia promised to strengthen military ties with the US during high-level Ausmin talks with US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates. "It's entirely right that the Americans, ourselves and others talk about how these rising (regional) powers, including India, contribute to a regional and global rules-based order," Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said after the talks.
idrw.org
He adds that Australia runs the risk of "martyrdom" in the case of any China-US conflict.
The warnings come amid unease across Asia about China's growing military power – particularly the rapidly expanding People's Liberation Navy – and its new-found aggression in territorial disputes with neighbours such as Japan and Vietnam.
"Each of the Pacific nations will manage China's carrier ambitions differently, but the US response will set the regional tone," Brigadier General John Frewen wrote in an essay published in the US's Joint Force Quarterly's third-quarter edition.
"For Australia, the choices include retaining US security dependence, thereby risking a form of martyrdom, or pursuing greater defence self-sufficiency. The debate about genuine self-sufficiency has not been held in any substantial way."
The essay won the US Secretary of Defence's National Security Essay Competition for this year, the first time the award has been given to a non-US officer.
The paper has emerged as Australia's most senior military officers prepare to travel to China for the annual Defence Strategic Dialogue.
Australia upset China last year with the release of its defence white paper, which effectively said China was a potential threat in the region and made the surprise call for 12 new submarines to be added to the fleet.
"The unintended consequences of Chinese carriers pose the greatest threat to regional harmony in the decades ahead," General Frewen states. He noted that China did not have an Incident At Sea agreement with the US, similar to one that existed to defuse incidents between the US and Russia from 1972.
"Without an agreement to moderate sea incidents, it may be impossible to realise a 'harmonious ocean' between a Chinese carrier-capable navy and other regional navies in the South China Sea and Pacific."
The Defence Department said Brigadier Frewen's views did not represent the government's.
Last week, Australia promised to strengthen military ties with the US during high-level Ausmin talks with US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates. "It's entirely right that the Americans, ourselves and others talk about how these rising (regional) powers, including India, contribute to a regional and global rules-based order," Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said after the talks.
idrw.org