Anti-war NGOs have are taking a keen interest in the AUKUS treaty and the geopolitical consequences emanating from nuclear subs
12 October 2021 | CCCA
The International Peaceful Australia network and Pax Christi Australia, a branch of the International Christian Peace Movement, Pax Christi International, have now joined the debate as activists for peace. We would have thought that the current opposition to AUKUS would slowly disappear in the sunset and whatever adverse geopolitical consequences could be swept under the carpet and the political life of our political leaders would carry on as usual.
Internationally, the Anglophile media have reported the formation of the new Anglo-Alliance called AUKUS and sprinkled it with a bit of nuclear submarine stuff for war game buffs; and the most sensational part of the report was about the tantrum shown by the French President Emanual Macron; an emotional side of his behaviour akin to “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”. What the French President did was well documented. There was no serious debate about the geopolitical consequences in those reports.
The Asian media, did raised some issues of the geopolitical consequences of the AUKUS and its perception that the SSN will ultimately carry nuclear tipped missiles that would patrol the SCS as affront to China. These reports also included the sensational Taiwan issues, and including hyping up the war drums in SCS. The allegation that PLA had flown into Taiwan airspace prompted Taiwan Foreign Minister and Foreign Minister to raise the alarm that Taiwan’s attack by China will be imminent. These two Ministers were in fact calling for military assistance.
The Asian media also carried concerned to AUKUS alliance by Australia largest Asian neighbour Indonesia; and Malaysia also joined in to voice her concerns. These concerns were totally ignored by Australia.
A survey in Taiwan showed that the majority of Taiwanese did not expect China to invade Taiwan any time soon.
The recent dialogue between President Biden and President Xi took place in a phone call and the US-China Zurich summit also ensued. An important result of these diplomatic endeavour was a declaration that US still recognize the one-China policy and both superpowers are not look for conflict.
Despite the reduction in tensions between US and China, one wonder what is the real agenda of the Taiwanese ministers making warning statement about imminent invasion.
The plot thickens when Australian former PM Tony Abbott was reported visiting Taiwan in a private capacity! Despite denials from PM Morrison that it has got nothing to do with his government, the smoking gun tells a story that this is a common strategy for leaders to adopt when it is not convenient or appropriate for them to play the active role and a substitute voice can be used. This is an old trick by China when a junior Colonel makes military statements with the boss not taking any responsibilities. see Abbott dumps on Beijing new red emperor in a provocative speechL
https://www.smh.com.au/topic/taiwan-fq0
The IPAN international zoom conference which took place on 8 Oct 2-[021 at 10pm AEST with more than one hundred Australian and international participants has raised the awareness of ordinary citizens in Asia, South Pacific etc. The issues raised by IPAN participants were more serious and broader than those raised by ASEAN countries and Asian media, ie. nuclear proliferation, destabilization, arms race, and possibility of a hot war that would wipe out the earth.
This conference has a silver lining for Chinese Australians as the participants were not pro-China, pro-Xi Jinping, pro-CCP or anti-Taiwan. They have expressed their fears and concern about AUKUS and its associated SSN’a capability of precipitating WW3 complete the ability for MAD. They are worried about the change from nuclear free zone to nuclear arms zone in current Asia Pacific regions where there is a real Pacific paradise and not Bikini Atoll or Samoa.
On this point Chinese Australians adopt the same political position as the participants of the IPAN conference, ie we together express our independent thoughts with IPAN participants without interference or influence by the Chinese government and its apparatus. Thus, for a healthy debate in Australia, we cannot be labelled RED, Panda lover or other identity political sticker. Like the Australian IPAN participants, we speak in the interest of Australia and safety of Australians from a nuclear holocaust.
On Australian matters, the conference raised an important issue, ie the Union opposition to AUKUS. Although some of the rational used by the Unions may not be completely valid, but there were good alternative reasons for the Union to do so. The conference suggests people action from all of Australia to make this issue an election issue and put to both parties that the opposition to AUKUS carry weight, ie if IPAN activities can convince the Australian electorate to use their votes to express their opposition.,
Many intellectual and prominent Australians have voiced their concerns about AUKUS and that includes our former PM Paul Keating, and a group of peace-loving Australians which regular featured in P&I, an Australian public policy journal. Some of these prominent authors include former Prime Ministers, Ministers, Secretaries of Department heads, Ambassadors and prominent academics around Australia etc.. The reader should google “John Menadue AUKUS” for more articles on the subject but here is a typical example by Mack Williams:
The IPAN conference would initiate people’s action in both Australia, Asia Pacific and South Pacific, In months to come, it is hope that the IPAN initiative can help save the planet form destruction by raising the awareness of nuclear war and how to prevent it.
Pressure for change hopefully will come from domestic voters as well as Asia Pacific countries particularly our South Pacific neighbours.
Pax Christi Australia, a branch of the international Christian Peace Movement has published their opinion on the AUKUS military pact. These statements are available from:
It is interesting to note that IPAN (& 15 NGOs) hve initiated the formation of a broad Australin national coalition campaigning against Nuclear Submarines and AUKUS.
In conclusion, we wish to support the statement of Fr Claude Mostovik, the National President of PAX Chisti Australia, when he says:
It is our belief that Peace involves much more than the absence of armed conflict. It involves building genuine understanding between peoples, sharing resources, support of weaker an poorer nations by the well-resourced, life enhancing development programmes resourced but not directed by giving nations.
Principal authors, Tony Pun and Dr Ka Sing Chua. This commentary is supplied by the Chinese Community Council of Australia Incorporated: Founding President, Dr Anthony Pun OAM, President, Mr Kingsley Liu. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors.
