The US and Australia are increasing military strength in Asia-Pacific to offset influence of China. While the official response from the Chinese government is muted, The Global Times, a newspaper produced by the Communist Party-controlled People’s Daily group, has been far more blunt.

If  “Australia uses its military bases to help the US harm Chinese interests, then Australia itself will be caught in the crossfire”.

And Luo Yuan, a senior officer at the People’s Liberation Army’s Academy of Military Sciences said that while neither the US or China wanted to start a war, “if China’s core interests such as its sovereignty, national security and unity are intruded on, a military conflict will be unavoidable”.

The Third World War — A Future History