China vs NZ
As China and America lock horns in a trade war and with the enormous build up of naval hardware in the South China Sea, it is becoming increasingly likely that NZ is going to get dragged into this geopolitical vortex.
China are already challenged Australian warships passing through International Waters they have claimed for themselves and China has already threatened Australia with a trade war if Australia looks to ban Chinese money being donated in their political system.
This all at a time when the US Navy have admitted only full scale war with China will stop China from seizing the most important sea trade routes on the planet…
The island fortresses are built. The airfields are ready. The harbours are open.
All China needs do now is move in the warships and combat jets.
The chief of US Fleet Forces Command has told US Congress that Beijing has built up enough military infrastructure in the South China Sea to completely control the disputed waterway.
“Once occupied, China will be able to extend its influence thousands of miles to the south and project power deep into Oceania,” Admiral Philip S Davidson wrote.
…China’s threats to Australia are because Australia are currently looking at Chinese interference in their political systems…
If Australia considers exchanges between countries as interference, it should lock itself up in the dark room, the Chinese foreign ministry said in response to Australia’s anti-China allegations on Thursday.
People who have such a mindset need to reflect, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a daily briefing on Thursday.
If there is no mutual trust, there’s no room for cooperation. China hopes Australia takes practical action and corrects its prejudice against China, Hua said.
China’s Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye also expressed his worries in an interview with The Australian on Thursday.
He warned that the relationship between the two countries has been marred by “systematic, irresponsible and negative remarks” about China, and that trade ties could be damaged if the situation is not repaired.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also said Australia won’t step back over the issue of preventing overseas political interference, the Australian Financial Review reported on Thursday.
…so where does all this leave NZ?
To think we will be immune from such volatility between China, Australia and America is delusional.
To date NZ has managed to keep out of any direct confrontation with China because China bought the National Party and the National Party have done everything in their power to bend over backwards to Beijing.
The fact there is a Chinese spy inside the National Party caucus highlights how compromised National have become.
The real reason behind why Winston has clung to a FTA with Russia is to counter any Chinese move to hurt us economically with threats against our dairy industry. The real test of Chinese/NZ relations will be when the new Government attempt to ban foreign interests buying domestic property.
We are already seeing the vested interests demanding Labour u-turn on the foreign investment ban, but the real test will come if China decide to use it as a pretext to cause enormous internal disruption.
We know Chinese newspaper editors in NZ all take their editorial stance from the Chinese Government and calling for mass demonstrations against the ban by portraying it as anti-Chinese would cause enormous upheaval that could easily spill into something ugly.
NZ-Asians face the most overt racism in NZ, there is a huge tension building beneath the mild surface of NZ society, and we aren’t prepared for when it ruptures.
Or the Chinese simply put boots on the ground to protect their legally acquired NZ assets – our land water and forests.
The Nats should be arrested for treason.
So you are happy with American hegemony and our vassal status under said country?! China at least seeks a multi polar world.
Is that a question for me @ WIN? If so, the answer is no I’m not happy, but I’d like you to explain why you think China ‘at least’ seeks a multi polar world
Oh yeah, we had such a ‘multi polar’ world in 19th century Europe, and before, where the imperialist powers were competing with each other for influence and dominance. We know what that led to.
Having a ‘multi polar’ world with similarly imperialist powers, including the US, Russia, China and a few others (UK, France, and so forth, you may even include Saudi Arabia and some ‘middle powers’ in regions), that will not mean any better chances for peace.
Unfortunately NZ Inc is so tied up in international trade and finance networks, there is not a shit chance of simply opting out. Yes, New Zealand should play a truly more independent role, but it will nonetheless be attempted to drag us into one or the other fold, whether we like it or not.
If NZ Inc plays hard to get, the Chinese, same as the Americans, will flex their muscle to box the little country down under into line, with quasi trade sanctions or other methods at their disposal.
Remember the chilling relationship with the US under the nuclear free policy announced under Lange’s government, remember also how China put pressure on dairy companies, especially Fonterra, after some food scares with baby milk powder.
All that may be harmless when compared what will come upon us soon.
Yes, New Zealand could opt out of existing ties, but the price to pay will not be insignificant, and the corrupted voters, loving their consumerist living standards and lifestyles, they will ensure any government that dares endanger their little middle class comforts will be thrown out of office.
@ Win There’s nothing perfect about the US as you say. There are however some very important differences between America and China. As much as we worry about the erosion of human rights in the US, at least they still exist to some degree.
The US still holds regular elections (admittedly swayed by vast amounts of dirty campaign money) and as much as Trump would like to remain President-for-life, he’s out ‘come-what-may’ by 2024 at the latest. Xi Jinping just gave himself the right to be unelected ruler of China for life and he is extremely unlikely to relinquish power under any circumstances. The only way he’ll be leaving office is in a box – just like Stalin.
Also, speech in the US remains relatively free too. People frequently call Trump a moron and an arsehole in public media and suffer no worse consequences than a vitriolic Twitter attack from Trump himself. Anyone insane enough to try criticising Xi Jinping for anything, no matter how trivial, would be immediately arrested along their entire family. They would then be a sharing a prison cell with the Falun Gong members and other lifelong political prisoners that China keeps as live organ donors for senior Communist Party officials as required.
All we really need to know is that China is both totalitarian, and expansionist, and that it isn’t bloody stupid.
Whereas many gNats are both totalitarian in outlook, and expansionist in outlook. The difference is that the gNats are bloody stupid
Lol!!
Admiral Philip Davidson, the Trump and “Mad Dog Mattis” appointee , said recently to the U.S Armed forces committee that “Only War can stop China”, over their control of the South China sea. Note that this is not the Western Pacific sea or the North Atlantic sea near the coast of the U.S. The U.S. Empire wants to control all seas like they did until recently. This is all about the continuing hegamony of the U.S. Empire.This from the country with 200,000 troops in 850 bases around the world.The U.S. has resurrected the Monroe Doctrine, which states that the South American land mass is the exclusive zone of influence for the U.S. Empire. Only 3 countries there are not vassals of the U.S. Empire- Cuba, Venezuela, and Bolivia. The U.S. intends to rectify this.If N.Z continues to be a Jackboot slobbering vassal of the U.S. Empire I dare say we will indeed end up as collateral damage. Or we can remove ourselves from this struggle and be proudly and courageously independent, a voice of sanity in a troubled time!!!
Yes Martyn,
We are on the cusp of a financial “meltdown” fast approaching also with the recent release of a report in a conference in NZ last week by a visiting UK financial advisor who works for the Corbyn camp who stated on RNZ that we globally are now at the cliff overlooking a global debt of 750 Trillion on a total asset value of only 75 Trillion so we are now at ten times the value of our globally combined assets as of now for the first time ever in our history by 6 times the amount, and soon the dam will break consuming us and our global flimsy over valued economic model.
When bosses can’t pay debt they go bankrupt.
When countries cannot pay debt they go bankrupt.
When workers cannot pay debt they also go bankrupt.
All that happens is that the debt disappears and the assets remain.
The problem is who owns the assets.
The biggest assets are owned by capitalists and when they can’t screw enough surplus-value from workers they have to borrow to invest.
Even with negative interest rates capitalists won’t borrow to invest unless they can guarantee a profit.
When workers are already exploited to the max, and resist further cuts in wages and conditions, capitalists invest in existing assets merely to pay back existing debt.
The system becomes a giant Ponzi scheme which is were we are now.
Of course it is the interests of capitalists to make workers pay for the debt. And they will send us to war so that the creditor countries can takeover the assets of their debtors.
Problem is that China is the main creditor country, and it is not going to sit back while the US and other debtors try to take then out militarily.
To avoid a debt driven world war, workers have to put capitalism out of its misery by renouncing all debt and refusing to fight bosses’ wars.
The sooner the system comes crashing down, the sooner that those who produce the wealth can takeover productive assets and stop the collapse of capitalism taking humanity down with it.
If you want a blueprint of what sort of society we need before you commit to revolutionary change, you are going to die wondering.