It's just not ping pong

[Outlaw Yogi]

Military and geo-strategists (including the pentagon) predict the next big war will be fought mainly at sea.
The US currently has 300 battle ships (down on its former max) and China intends having 415 battle ship by 2030.

As part of Communist China's expansionist goals it has built and militarised artificial islands in the South China Sea up to 2900km from China.

POTENTIAL RESEARCH MATERIAL for those interested;
https://www.google.com.au/?gws_rd=ssl#q ... hina+sea&*
https://www.google.com.au/?gws_rd=ssl#q ... hina+sea&*

POTUS Trump promising to give China a kick up the arse during his campaign period now appears to be making good on his rhetoric by send an aircraft carrier to loiter in the area under 'Freedom of Navigation' protocols and has rattled a sabre about "blockading China from its artificial islands".

Former Australian Defence force chief Sir Angus Houston has publicly condemned Trump's move and advised Oz pollies not to tow Trump's line, and that doing so would incite China to retaliate militarily. Malcolm Turnbull and Julie Bishop have both expressed no support for Trump's game, instead claiming we should use "diplomacy" (the soft cock option).

NB: As a yogi I was taught Krisna (circa 5050-5100bc) is credited with inventing diplomacy ("Madhura" = art of sweet words), and reading the Bhagavad Gita (where Krisna counselled Ajuna prior to battle/war) gives me the impression Krisna advocates deception as acceptable practice during normal discourse, not just war, and claimed to have made love to 16,000 women.
So my perception of "Diplomacy" is bullshit with glitter.

Meanwhile prominent ALP pollies have come out in support of Trump's initiatives, which I'm in favour of myself.
But I suspect those ALP pollies have only taken that position because they are in opposition, and if they were in govt would make the same wimpy sounds Turnbull has.

Of course the pro-China NSW Labor right, like Carr and Dastyari would be Labor's current black sheep, and would be expressing opinions I'd expect from the ALP if they were running the show.

Military and geo-strategists are predicting a war with China in the next 5 to 10 years and expect Trump to be a one term Prez.
The general consensus is Trump won't be POTUS when the cannons are fired.

I hope they're wrong. I think the sooner we stop the technology transfer (largely by theft) and knock China on the head
the better.

[Black Orchid]

China relies very strongly on the US for their crap exports and the US is the biggest buyer of Chinese exports. If the US decided that they wanted a fairer playing field and stopped all Chinese imports then China would be in quite a bit of trouble.

I think the Chinese have only one aircraft carrier anyway. A rinky dink little old tin can which they bought from the Russians. So, it may happen sooner or later but I certainly don't see the Chinese coming up 'trumps' (excuse the pun).

Lefties want us to align ourselves with China but they are backing the wrong horse as usual.

[Outlaw Yogi]

China relies very strongly on the US for their crap exports and the US is the biggest buyer of Chinese exports. If the US decided that they wanted a fairer playing field and stopped all Chinese imports then China would be in quite a bit of trouble.

I think the Chinese have only one aircraft carrier anyway. A rinky dink little old tin can which they bought from the Russians. So, it may happen sooner or later but I certainly don't see the Chinese coming up 'trumps' (excuse the pun).

Lefties want us to align ourselves with China but they are backing the wrong horse as usual.

Agreed ... except on the aircraft carrier. China reputedly now has 2 aircraft carriers.
Certainly not a threat yet, but China intends on having 415 battle ships, including a submarine fleet by 2030, so definitely a deliberate threat in the near future.