Originally Posted by
George Glass
So ExtraShot, you going to go to war over the Uighurs? How about we behave as an older, more mature nation and simply act in our own self interest? Spare me the moralising. Think Finland. Or maybe Singapore. Screw the hyperbole and up Defence spending to 3% of GDP. Drop the dependence on somebody else to save our sorry arses, stop being paranoid, and grow a couple. And then trade with them as normal. It’s called Real Politic.
Sigh, ‘trade with them as normal’, which is all fine, until it’s not. It has been demonstrated time and time again already that the Chinese aren’t always interested in trading like the Japanese, the Singaporeans, the Americans, the Euros etc.
Why do some of us have concerns about alot of this investment? Well, as a 3000 + year old society, we know from history that the Chinese know about playing the long game.
Now Let’s see: 40000 plus to immigrate here from China year on year, for decade upon decade, with how many are still loyal to the CCP? No one can know for sure, but a threat to the Social Credit Score (or worse) of your family back in China might pull you into line should you want to adopt the freedoms of your new home. That becomes a significant voting population that get a say in our elections. We don’t like it, tough, they used our own stupidity against us, and if we reeeaaaly don’t like it, well, they own our Politicians, Ports (eg; Port of Darwin), power infrastructure, water infrastructure, and significant amounts of Agricultural land they’d by that time be using to feed their own; etc, etc.
Im all for increasing Defence spending, heck double it, a string of permanently equipped air/naval bases all across out Northern Coastline I say. However even acquiring our own Nuclear deterrent to move out of the influence of ALL other nations (and it’s pretty much the only thing that can achieve.that), isn’t going to make much of a difference in a case like the above. Are we going to nuke ourselves? Besides, as they say, why go to war when you can just buy what you want? Buy your political influence (our pollies are cheap! The Chinese know this well), and create your own voting bloc by stealth using our own bloated mass migration program.
Now, on face value I’m personally not against this deal in particular (it’s just a flying school yes?), nor necessarily am I against doing business with the Chinese, (though you have to question WHY Virgin hasn’t been upfront with who’s involved?) However, Questioning whether these business deals are in the national interest is entirely appropriate. I’d hope the FIRB would be including the DoD and and ASIO in their reviews of these kind of things as well. And if the government isnt doing it properly I’m glad some journalists, and people with the profile of Dick Smith are bringing attention to it.
But I know, I know, it’s all Reds Under the bed... or whatever.