China

[ElwoodBlues1]

It is a relief to see the Fed Govt using diplomacy to thwart Chinese influence. Yes, I know the LNP also used diplomacy: megaphone diplomacy. But maybe building alliances rather than assuming them has some merit.

It is clear Australia’s voice is being heard in the region – and that’s in no small part due to Penny Wong, The Guardian.

What's so clear...? They continue to buy off Pacific island nations especially the ones with deep harbours for their warships, they continue to intimidate our aircraft and other western allies aircraft ie Canada, continue to taunt Taiwan and are building a large Naval facility in Cambodia.
You can either stick your head in the sand and pretend it's not happening, do what the English and French did when Hitler marched into the Sudeten land and that was roll over and sign the Munich agreement which meant you can have that land if you promise not to go any further and start a war anywhere else..pretty please Adolf, or you can grow some gonads and stand up to the Chinese arrogance now and show them we won't be intimidated.
I fear it will be choice No 2 where Taiwan will be the new Sudeten land because everyone is running scared of the Chinese muscle and the USA will back off to the Philippines and let China dominate the rest of the Pacific.