The Project host dismisses China threat on Australia: 'Owns half the joint'
Despite US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s controversial visit to Taiwan continuing to sour the already frazzled relationship between Australia and China, The Project host Tommy Little has dismissed concerns the two countries will go to war for one simple reason.
The comedian made the prediction on Sunday night as the panel discussed China’s fourth consecutive day of military drills in the air and sea around Taiwan, and if and when Australia needed to interfere.
“Do we have to get involved here? I feel like China aren't going to be a threat to us,” Little said.
“They own half the joint already. Why are they going to attack a joint when they own half of it?”
While some audience members were heard laughing in response to Little’s bold claim, co-host Hamish MacDonald insisted the threat of an attack needs to be taken seriously.
“You have to imagine the reality that China might want to retake Taiwan by force,” Mr MacDonald responded.
“Then put it in the context of Russia and the Ukraine. When that happened, you know the world did respond.
“I think it was beyond our comprehension, that we wouldn't react to that and support a forceful reaction. This is much closer to us and I think the implications are far greater.”
Mr MacDonald admitted that while China invading Taiwan doesn’t pose “a direct physical threat to the Australian mainland”, it is “about control of the region”.
In 2021, Chinese investment in Australia declined by almost 70 per cent, from $2.5 billion to $0.8 billion, according to a report published earlier this year by KPMG and The University of Sydney.
The mining industry received more than $545 million, with commercial real estate accounting for another $208 million.
China ‘doesn’t own half the joint’, expert says
Despite Little’s claim, Professor John Blaxland, from the Australian National University’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, told Yahoo News Australia China does not in fact own half of Australia.
“They don’t own half the joint, but they buy the most stuff from us," he said.
"The People’s Republic of China has about $13 billion in foreign direct investment, which is about 2 per cent of foreign investment stock in Australia.”
Professor Blaxland said the US is the country’s biggest direct investor “by a country mile”.
Here's a map summarizing activity from #China’s live fire drills around #Taiwan seen in the past few days#ChinaTaiwanCrisis pic.twitter.com/khdLC3z7Dz
— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) August 7, 2022
While no one knows what the future brings, Professor Blaxland said believing there is nothing to worry about — despite China’s “massive military build-up and belligerent rhetoric” — is “naïve to the point of danger”.
“Sure, most security pundits see the prospect of a direct attack against Australia as remote, at least for now,” he said.
“But the facilities in the South China Sea can reach us, as can their submarines.
“And over time China has been developing the capability to coerce and cajole, and intimidate in a way that echoes the great ancient Chinese strategist who is reputed to have said that ‘the acme [or peak] of skill, is to defeat your adversary without fighting’.
“That doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to fight if they don’t quite reach the acme!”
Professor Blaxland said “the war games off the Taiwan coast” could lead some people to think that an invasion would be contained to that part of the world.
“I think assuming that would be a grave mistake,” he warned.
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