Australia could be drawn into a war with China in the next five to 10 years amid rising tensions around Taiwan, former Australian Defence Minister Christopher Pyne has warned.
In a speech to the University of Adelaide on Monday (12), Pyne said the likelihood of a “kinetic war” in the Indo-Pacific region is much higher today than it was when he was appointed defense industry minister in 2016. and science ministerial portfolios, became minister for defense industries in 2016, and served as Australia’s defense minister from August 2018 to May 2019, while also serving as leader of the House of Representatives. He retired from politics in 2019.
Pyne said the United States and its allies, including Australia, now face an increasingly confident China in the Asia-Pacific region.
“The reality is China has the confidence, the ability and the lack of embarrassment to show it,” he said.
The former Liberal senator said the Asia-Pacific region is likely to be involved in a “real war” involving China within the next decade.
He said, “Five years ago, I said it was highly unlikely, and now I have to say it’s more likely than it was then.”
Pyne said, “This is not a cyber war, it’s a war that involves the loss of human life, the destruction of military platforms, and both sides attacking and defending each other.” He emphasized, “This is not rhetoric, this is something that you and I may have to face in the next five to 10 years.”
He said, “The Chinese military is very capable of conducting asymmetric warfare against the United States and its allies around the island chain in western Indo-Pacific and Southeast Asia, and Australia is one of those U.S. allies.”
Pyne said Beijing has demonstrated growing military strength in its crackdown in Hong Kong and in its treatment of China’s Uighur community.
“Most worryingly, it has put pressure on Taiwan, which is the most likely next flashpoint in the region.”
Recent Comments