February 28, 2022
Australia and its allies must push back against aggression in the Indo-Pacific and send clear signals that countries who follow Russia’s lead will “face the most severe ramifications”.
Amid concerns China could increase military activity in the Taiwan Strait, parliamentary joint committee on intelligence and security chair James Paterson said “it has never been more important to be closely connected to and co-ordinating with our strongest intelligence and security partners”.
Senator Paterson will fly to the US and Britain on Monday for high-level meetings with senior political, defence and security officials to discuss regional, foreign interference and cyber threats.
“We must ensure we are collectively taking the strongest possible action to impose maximum costs on Russia for its malign conduct against Ukraine,” he said.
“We must also send the clearest possible signal to anyone contemplating similar behaviour that they will face the most severe ramifications from a united global community.”
Speaking at an Asialink leaders’ summit on Monday, International Development and Pacific Minister Zed Seselja will attack China for breaching the “rules and norms in our region”.
“After decades of peace in our region, it is clear the risks of miscalculation and conflict are growing,” Senator Seselja will say.
“Whether in the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea or indeed closer to home in the Pacific, China’s economic growth and increasing power and assertiveness are testing the rules-based order.”
“Denial and inaction are the most dangerous traits in these times … You will all have read of the Chinese vessel that shone a military-grade laser at an Australian air force plane conducting routine coastal maritime surveillance.
“Not in the South China Sea but in Australia’s exclusive economic zone, transiting from the Arafura Sea, through the Torres Strait, towards the Pacific Ocean.
“It is but one example of the increased and sustained pressure on rules and norms in our region. Coercion, disinformation and foreign interference are on the rise.
“These trends hinder development, trade and economic growth but, most worryingly, undermine the trust and strong bonds we share.
“We do not want to see competition slip into confrontation, or regional order undermined or destabilised. While some on the left argue for appeasement of China, the Morrison government believes we need to be resolute in defence of our region’s shared values.”
After the Chinese military recently ramped up war games, Scott Morrison on Sunday said the Taiwan and Ukraine situations were “very different”.
“I am concerned … that at a time when we’re seeing aggression from Russia unlawfully invading Ukraine, China thinks this is an appropriate time to be conducting those sorts of operations in the South China Sea,” the Prime Minister said.
“And at the same time, easing trade restrictions on Russia for wheat. I don’t consider those types of actions consistent with the broader statement about seeking a peaceful resolution.”
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Penny Wong said no country should “take from what is being seen now any justification for the unilateral changing of a status quo position”.
“I would reiterate that no country should take any comfort from what is occurring, and unilateral aggressive changes to the status quo can never be justified.” she told the ABC.
“It is the position of the region, of Taiwan, of the US – our principal ally – and of Australia that the status quo in relation to Taiwan can only be resolved peacefully, can only be altered peacefully and that there should be no unilateral changes to the status quo.”
Labor senator Jenny McAllister and member for Wills, Peter Khalil, will join Senator Paterson on the first bipartisan PJCIS delegation since 2018 to strengthen ties with the AUKUS security partners.
Senator Paterson said in the most uncertain geopolitical environment since the 1930s, it was “critical we ensure close co-ordination and collaboration with our most important security partners”.
