In a media interview on ANZAC Day on April 25, Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton said it is time for Australia to turn its attention from its War on Terror-era focus on the Middle East to the offshore, amid growing threats from the Chinese Communist Party. Asked if the prospect of conflict over Taiwan was growing, Dutton replied that the possibility should not be underestimated.
ANZAC Day, which commemorates the ANZAC soldiers who died in the Battle of Gallipoli on April 25, 1915, during World War I, is a public holiday and one of the major festivals in Australia and New Zealand. In an interview on Nine’s Weekend Today, Dutton paid tribute to the “amazing efforts” of the tens of thousands of Australian and allied soldiers who have fought in the Middle East over the past 20 years, citing their efforts to save Australia and other Western nations from terrorist attacks.
As the 80 Australian troops still stationed in Afghanistan are due to be evacuated by September this year, Dutton suggested that Australia must now focus on more immediate intra-regional threats to its national security. He noted that Australia provides support and assistance to its neighbors on issues such as combating the New Crown epidemic (a Chinese communist virus outbreak) and responding to natural disasters. At the same time, according to Dutton, as Australia itself is in a changing region, “the Chinese (Communist) states are militarizing our ports throughout the region. We need to deal with all of those issues and that’s what we’re looking at right now.”
Asked in a separate interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Sunday whether the prospect of conflict over Taiwan was growing, Dutton replied, “I don’t think the potential for conflict should be underestimated.” He added that China’s (Communist) ambition to unify Taiwan is becoming more and more apparent. He said, “People need to be realistic about these activities, and there are militarized bases throughout the region. It’s clear there’s a huge amount of activity and there’s hostility between Taiwan and the Chinese (Communist) state.”
Dutton said that while the Australian Defence Force was highly prepared to deal with any threats against its allies in the region, Canberra would work hard to try to keep the peace. “We want to make sure that we continue to be a good neighbor in the region, that we work with our partners and allies, and that no one wants to see conflict between China and Taiwan or anywhere else,” he said.
In a separate interview Friday, Dutton stressed that Australia would never give up its sovereignty to appease China, in response to the federal government’s annulment of Victoria’s official Belt and Road agreement with the Chinese Communist Party, which sparked Beijing’s discontent. He said Australia has been clear to China from the beginning and will not “give in” to the threat of retaliation. We will not compromise our values and we will not give up our sovereignty,” he said.
Recent Comments