Posted in Military Matters

Counterweight to Beijing Forces Australia to Open Embassy Here Military Rumors of War Preparedness

 2021年5月5日

To counter the growing influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the Pacific, Australia opened new embassies in French Polynesia and in the Marshall Islands on May 4.

French Polynesia (file photo)

The Australian government is moving faster in the face of China’s battle for influence in the Pacific, according to a Central News Agency report from Canberra.

Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Australian Minister for International Development and Pacific Affairs Zed Seselja issued a joint statement saying that Australia is committed to continuing to work closely with its Pacific partners for the sake of regional prosperity and security.

According to Reuters, Australia currently has 19 embassies in the Pacific, including new ones in Tuvalu, Cook Islands, Palau and Niue over the past three years. The Australian government says Australia has more diplomatic consulates in the region than any other country.

Beijing’s expansion into the South Pacific in recent years has deeply troubled Australia. A Reuters report on the 4th said that Australia announced the start of operations of new embassies in the Marshall Islands and French Polynesia, among others, highlighting the country’s accelerated pace to counterbalance the influence of Beijing authorities.

On the same day, Australian media revealed that an internal briefing by the Australian Special Forces called for the Australian military to be prepared for a substantial military conflict with the Chinese Communist Party forces.

Then-Australian Special Forces commander Major General Adam Findlay provided a confidential briefing to Australian Special Forces soldiers last April, the Australian Sun reported Tuesday. The report said General Findlay told the special forces that the Chinese Communist Party was now the main threat to Australia. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, General Findlay said the Chinese Communist Party was already conducting a “gray zone” war and that Australia must be prepared for the “very real possibility” of actual military conflict.