Has the horse bolted on China's annexation of the East China Sea?

[iLemming]

*Defence will go on a $200 billion spending splurge over the next 10 years buying new aircraft, ships, submarines and vehicles for Australia’s fighting forces under the Turnbull Government’s plan to keep the country safe[…]

While concluding a military attack on Australia is a remote prospect, the white paper spells out the strategic threats facing the nation, including tensions between China and the US, terrorism, cyber warfare and fragility among our Pacific neighbours[…]

The white paper expects the US – Australia’s most important ally - to remain the pre-eminent global military power over the next two decades but notes how defence spending in Asia has outstripped that of Europe.*

The West Australian

Other interesting bullet points:

● “…To protect Australia in the new Asian arms race”
● “50% of the world’s advanced jet fighters and submarines are expected to be located in Asia”
● "Concerns over China’s continuous militarisation […] taking advantage of the U.S.'s ‘timor’ "

[iLemming]

*Former prime minister Tony Abbott has revealed an increase in air and naval patrols in the disputed South China Sea, and taken a swipe at Beijing for not sharing the same “values” as Australia[…]

Speaking in Japan’s capital Tokyo overnight, Mr Abbott said China’s activities were threatening the stability and security of the region[…]

“We should be prepared to exercise our rights to freedom of navigation wherever international law permits because this is not something that the United States should have to police on its own.”[…]

Mr Abbott also said Japan and Australia have a “special relationship because it’s not based simply on shared interests, but also on shared values”.

In contrast, Mr Abbott said while Australia’s “economy is more closely tied to China’s than to any other, it’s still an ‘interests’ partnership rather than a ‘values’ one”.*

ABC (AU)

In other news:
U.S. test ICBM capabilities, in light of rising tensions with Russia, China and North Korea

“China have built relatively inexpensive missile batteries that can potentially counter U.S. carrier groups[…] Future wars will be fought by people who live like vampires and likely would not even pass a military exam.”

-Former Australia Army officer, Cate McGregor
Nothing to see here on the geopolitical front, people. Everything is going just swimmingly…

[XT]

@iLemming

ABC (AU)

In other news:
U.S. test ICBM capabilities, in light of rising tensions with Russia, China and North Korea
-Former Australia Army officer, Cate McGregor
Nothing to see here on the geopolitical front, people. Everything is going just swimmingly…

I don’t think the US tests are anything new or designed to intimidate either Russia or China…they are simply to ensure that the things actually work as they are supposed too. Hell, the Minuteman III system was deployed originally in the freaking 80’s, so it’s older than a lot of posters on this board. At this point we are just making sure that the things will actually fire and fly as directed, not trying to flex any of our massive US military muscles. There really isn’t anything to see there.