Last Updated:2020-07-15

“This follows a series of important announcements that have made it clear that the Australian government now regards China as a strategic competitor and a revisionist power that must be resisted.”

“A series of statements by the Prime Minister covering foreign investment, cyber threats,new counter-cyber-attack measures, and an Australian-initiated meeting of Five Eyes finance ministers, as well as last week's Defence Strategic Update are all directed towards China.”

“No one can now doubt who Australia's enemy is. Of course, if China is treated as an enemy, it most certainly will become one.”

“China's behaviour has crossed a number of lines that many states would regard as unacceptable. But it is unlikely to be troubled much by what Australia and others may do in response. Beijing has two objectives in its grand strategy: preserving territorial integrity and maintaining the rule of the Communist Party. Only the United States threatens these.”

“Unlike our neighbours, we have followed the US to this point - only, it would seem, to discover that we are alone in the world, and that Australia needs to account for its own security in a dystopic future. The Prime Minister is attempting to rouse Australia from its strategic torpor.”

Read the full transcript in the Australian Financial Review:

https://www.afr.com/world/asia/australia-resolves-china-contradictions-at-last-20200709-p55alr