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The media boss, Hu Xijin, said Canberra should be better prepared to sacrifice its soldiers for an imminent counteroffensive.
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The comments were in response to statements by Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton who vowed to support America in defending Taipei.
“If Australian troops came to fight in the Taiwan Strait, it is inconceivable that China would not carry out a heavy attack against them and the Australian military facilities that support them,” Xijin said via his social media account on Sunday, which was quoted as saying by Russia Today, Monday (15/11/2021).
“So Australia is better prepared to sacrifice for the island of Taiwan and the US,” he added.
The government of Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has become increasingly hostile to China and has repeatedly referred to conflict and war.
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The Morrison government has also stepped up Australia’s cooperation with the United States, undermining its previously good relations with China, a foreign policy shift that has been criticized by former Australian prime ministers Paul Keating, Kevin Rudd and Malcolm Turnbull.
Last week, Keating warned that Australia should not be drawn into military involvement over Taiwan, sponsored by the US or otherwise. “Taiwan is not a vital Australian interest,” he said.
Keating also accused Australia’s foreign policy of being influenced by “ghosts” at intelligence agencies and compared Morrison’s controversial deals with the US and UK to procure nuclear-powered submarines to “throwing a few toothpicks into the mountain”.
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