China , US, Australia , Japan and India rising tension and a protracted cold war

Bulletin TheAustralian reported...

Escalating hostilities between China and the US are reaching a point of no return. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has delivered his most damning indictment of the Chinese Communist Party to date. Rumination about war developing between the two nations has been superseded by concern over whether the US is prepared to defend itself as well as allied states should relations deteriorate.

The Australian government is no longer sitting on the fence. It has taken the moral high ground by siding with the leader of the free world. However, without sufficient military preparation or a geopolitical strategy that establishes new alliances and trade diversification, our capacity to survive a protracted cold war with China is limited.

Under Xi Jinping, China has become a menace to the international community.

By JENNIFER ORIEL

TheGuardian

Australia to step up South China Sea defence cooperation with US – but won't commit to patrols

Allies release joint statement of ‘deep concern’ over China’s actions in Hong Kong and repression of Uighurs and vow to fight disinformation

Australia has pledged to increase defence cooperation with the US in the South China Sea – but stopped short of making any specific new commitment on freedom of navigation operations, despite American pressure.

The two allies have also decided during high-level talks in Washington to set up a working group to push back at false information across the Indo-Pacific region, warning that “state-sponsored malicious disinformation and interference in democratic processes are significant and evolving threats”.

While the joint statement expressed “deep concern” over a range of actions taken by China – including a “campaign of repression of Uyghurs” and undermining of freedoms in Hong Kong – Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, said her country had “no intention of injuring” its important relationship with Beijing.

Payne and the defence minister, Linda Reynolds, agreed in face-to-face talks with their US counterparts, Mike Pompeo and Mark Esper, to pursue “increased and regularised maritime cooperation” in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, “bilaterally and in concert with other likeminded and regional partners”.

The joint statement declares that Beijing’s maritime claims in the South China Sea “are not valid under international law”, but Australia appears to have held firm against conducting freedom of navigation exercises within 12 nautical miles of disputed features.

Experts say the US has long been pushing for Australia to conduct such exercises, but Australia has resisted taking such a step to date – in part to avoid inflaming tensions with China, its largest trading partner.

Payne said Australia and the US had a close and enduring relationship but made their own decisions based on their values.