It is rare in diplomatic circles for governments to speak bluntly, particularly in the Orient, where manners are highly prized.
The exceptions to this rule are retired military officers, who are often able to voice sentiments too impolitic for other channels.
One of the more startling pronouncements in this vein occurred last week when Song Xiaojun, a former senior officer of the People's Liberation Army, warned that Australia cannot juggle its relationships with the United States and China indefinitely and "Australia has to find a godfather sooner or later. Australia always has to depend on somebody else, whether it is to be the 'son' of the US or 'son' of China. (It) depends on who is more powerful, and based on the strategic environment." Noting the rising importance of China as an export market Song added that Australia depended on exporting iron ore to China "to feed itself," but "Frankly, it has not done well politically."
What is also notable about Song’s remarks is that they coincided with Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr's first official visit to China, where Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi urged Australia to dismiss its alliance with the United States, a decades-old bipartisan and central pillar of the nation’s foreign policy, as ''the time for Cold War alliances has passed.''
Full article at: China Warns Australia to Choose Godfather - China or US
Australia already feeds itself and indeed, China depends on Australia for ITS food.
The US needs to step in and lend Australia a few of our aircraft carriers. For that matter, we should be retrenching to defend developed grain exporting countries like Canada, the UK, and Australia from the rest of the world's militaries.
got my popcorn ready, waiting for the blowback. china can just give its rabid dog north korea a little more chain to cause trouble. this is all good for the war profiteers and military industrial congressional complex. it all makes sense once you follow the money.
^I've heard this tossed around quite a bit, can you show me how to follow the money and then explain how it is any different than any other industry/business/politic/anything?
yes. people get napalmed and tortured to death.
I think that Australia preemptively sent China a decision a few months ago when they invited the US Marine Corps to set up a base. Sort of fun, now the only continent that will not have stationed US troops is Antarctica. Maybe we can deputize some of the emperor penguins or something, they look like pretty solid folks.
I think that Australia preemptively sent China a decision a few months ago when they invited the US Marine Corps to set up a base. Sort of fun, now the only continent that will not have stationed US troops is Antarctica. Maybe we can deputize some of the emperor penguins or something, they look like pretty solid folks.
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