Over
the last 30 years,
China has grown into a global
economic and military superpower.
It is the world's second-largest economy and a leading
production hub worldwide.
Has a permanent UN Security
Council seat, and has a very ambitious space exploration
program.
Because they were not burdened by wars in Vietnam, Iraq
and Afghanistan like the United States in recent years,
China has been slowly but surely scaling up its military
strength. China's navy is now larger than the USA's.
They
have been expanding their might into disputed
territorial waters of the coasts of most Southeast Asian
countries like Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines and Vietnam, building huge artificial
islands or taking over uninhabited ones.
China has been observing the West and their military
capabilities, silently developing an advanced arsenal,
including long-range weapons systems.
It was announced in late 2021 that there is now a new
military alliance between
the USA, the UK and Australia
to counter China's aggression in the Pacific.
The
news surprised many, leading to speculations that
preparations are underway for a potential war with
China.
A panel of five experts discuss how Australia
will get affected - and survive - if the worst-case
scenario, an all-out war between China and
the United
States, takes place.
The tinderbox in this crisis is Taiwan, a tiny island
nation off China's southeast coast.
After the Chinese
civil war, it broke away from the mainland in 1949 but
has never officially declared its independence because
once they do, China will attack.
Taiwan is a very wealthy democratic country, holding the
6th largest foreign exchange reserve globally.
It
supplies almost 70% of the semiconductor computer chips
globally, which is a vital part of all digital gadgets
and home appliances and cutting-edge weapons.
It also has a solid relationship with the United States,
which is the acknowledged reason why China has never
invaded it despite breaking away.
However, China's President Xi Jinping has declared that
Taiwan,
"must and will be reunited" at some point with the
mainland.
All
of China's military growth has been in preparation for
war over Taiwan.
And when it does take place, what happens?
Will America support Taiwan?
And if they do, will Australia also help out as it
has done historically in many other armed conflicts?
Since it is a well-known American ally, expert military
strategists agree that there is a big possibility that
Australia might take a nuclear hit.
Recently, China imposed economic sanctions on several
Australian industries because it criticized Beijing
regarding Huawei Technologies and the
Covid-19 'pandemic'.
Australia is one of China's largest trading partners
globally, making the situation even more alarming.
Australians need to decide if it will just sit back and
let China take over Taiwan or if it's ready to get
wholly involved in a major global war.
However, due to the intricacies of foreign policy and
diplomacy, that decision may have already been taken out
of their hands.
Source
