Recalling the ongoing Pentacostal influence on Australian foreign policy regarding China (see my blog post ) ex-PM multi- secret-ministerial Scomo continues to provoke China from the Australian Parliament opposition backbenches in his latest attempt to represent Australian foreign policy towards Taiwan.
No doubt representing the hawkish views advanced by the extreme right wing US Hudson Institute's body the China Centre which Scomo is a member of, Scomo advanced that conflict in Taiwan would be worse for “liberty and democracy” than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to an ABC report of what he told Taipei’s Yushan Forum.
While leader, “I was as concerned about Beijing as I was about Moscow.” Morrison said Australia should work closer with Taiwan on “non-political, humanitarian, scientific and trade” arenas, including welcoming the nation into the World Health Organization, Interpol, the International Civil Aviation Organization and other UN forums, but within a “modernised One China framework”. (Officially Australia doesn’t recognise Taiwan as a country.)
One expert (Dr Benjamin Herscovitch from the Australian National University's College of Asia and the Pacific) told the ABC he agreed with the need to modernise Australia's relationship with Taiwan, but pointedly asked why Morrison hadn’t done this while he was leader.
Good question.
Too busy empire building with those multiple secret ministries, I suppose.
Obviously, yesterday (11 October 2023), China's Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian criticised Mr Morrison for going to Taiwan.
"We appreciate that each and every government in this country has publicly stated they are committed to the One China policy," he said.
"And we hope this policy will be practised not only in words but also in deeds."
Scomo also argued for "active deterrence" of China (a.k.a. arms build-up), acknowledging that this might be seen as provocation. "To those who think deterrent is a provocation, this view indulges the fantasy that China plays by the same rules and shares a similar perspective. They do not … the PRC will continue to push the boundaries until someone is prepared to say no."
One wonders where the fantasy indulgence actually lies. In a Pentecostal End of Times perhaps?
Finally, perhaps more clearly revealing the true intent of his inflammatory rhetoric - co-incidentally (sarcasm) representing the interests of the arms industry - Scomo made a plea to Taiwan to more urgently address its deterrence to China, as well as "strengthen its resilience to survive a blockade."
How much are the arms industry paying him for this free advertisement?
Not even the Taiwanese government itself supports Scomo's latest word salad. In fact, no major Taiwanese political party has proposed pursuing formal independence because it would likely trigger a military response from Beijing.
In her national day speech on Tuesday 10 October 2023, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen called for peaceful coexistence with China.
“Since this is a time we can now face the world with confidence and resolve, we can also be calm and self-assured in facing China, creating conditions for peaceful co-existence and future developments across the Taiwan Strait,” she said.
It is notable that reliance on Taiwan's chip/semiconductors production has served as a "silicon shield," keeping China's territorial ambitions at bay.
Always about the money.
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