Scott Morrison declared that a Chinese military base on the Solomon Islands would be a step too far for Australia and the US
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared on Sunday that a Chinese military base on the Solomon Islands would be an unacceptable “red line,” without adding how Canberra would retaliate. Morrison’s government and the United States are scrambling to respond to a recently-signed security deal between the islands and Beijing, which they consider an “aggressive” move.
“Working together with our partners in New Zealand and of course the United States, I share the same red line that the United States has when it comes to these issues,” Morrison said. “We won’t be having Chinese military naval bases in our region on our doorstep.”
A tiny archipelago sitting around 2,000km off the northeastern coast of Australia, the Solomon Islands made international news last week when it signed a security pact with China.
There is much hysteria generated by the future potential for Chinese ships to use port facilities some 2,000 kilometers from Australia's shoreline. The Australian reaction is all about the supposed threat that this poses to Australia rather than the benefits the agreement may bring to the Solomon Islands.
"The spectre of Chinese nuclear submarines, destroyers, fighters and bombers based in the Solomon Islands, merely 1752 kilometres from Australia’s mainland (and closer than New Zealand), brings the looming prospect of global conflict right to our doorstep," says AFR's Christopher Joye. "Sadly, our worst fears have come to pass. What we now need is decisive leadership to protect our way of life, which faces existential threats for the first time since the first Cold War."
There is not a mention of the port facilities offered to U.S. navy ships by Japan and China's Taiwan region that are within 500 kilometers of China's coastline.
Anonymous
The Australians called him America's dog. And this dog is not a dobermann or alsatian but a chihuahua. Barks and makes a lot of noise. But when China stomps its feet, the little dog would scatter quickly and hide behind the American's legs.
ReplyDeleteI think China has , since the era post-DengXP great reforms, only ONE single unwaivering aim ,that is to take back the renegade province.of Taiwan. The bolstering of armed.forces.in SChina sea is just a step closer, to secure this aim. China is not intererested in attacking Australia or USA. It is.ridiculous for Western countries to talkn about red lines when Solomon island does not even belong to them, historically or culturally!!!!
ReplyDeleteThey not only build bases, they moved the inhabitants out of those islands forcibly, eg Diego Garcia, and used them to host their military establishments.
ReplyDeleteThey even used islands in the Pacific for their nuclear tests, leaving behind those islands to leak radioactive contamination into the surrounding soil and water.
Japan during world war 2 had committed a serious mistake. Instead of attacking China, South East Asia ,Hawaii, etc, Japan should let theirs military resources to take over Australia. It is still not late, Japan should work with Indonesia to eat up Australia . The real threat is not China dodo bird.
ReplyDeleteThe US is actually and literally an extremely cruel people, pretending to be good and above board. In reality, they are the worst type of animals, which should be annihilated long ago.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, the Japanese are also evil to the core. Outwardly, tbey may pretend to be very gentle and full of decorum, but inwardly, they are basically rotten. This is another race that should have been eradicated long ago.
The white man in Australia should leave the SOlomon islands alone. If you want to fight with China, try lah. Let's see who win.
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