Now is the perfect time to push back against Chinese aggression. I think it would help the voices of moderation in China.
Their diplomats and state media have continually threatened trade retribution if Australia doesn't do what they want, and they have threatened many other countries as well. Step one should be expelling all Chinese diplomats who make direct or indirect threats against their host country. Xi Jinping's "wolf warrior" diplomats need to be sent home. Their hyper-aggressive tactics need to be seen to fail. China will huff and puff and hit back sure, but eventually they will send us diplomats who don't treat us with contempt.
I would argue Rudd is wrong about comparing the situation to WWI. The better analogy is the failure of appeasement in the 1930s, which emboldened Nazi Germany and made WWII inevitable by leaders like Chamberlain not standing up to Germany when it was still rebuilding.
I have recently posted articles by Chinese PLA generals warning Xi he's picking too many fights and they're worried. By pushing back now we support their push for China to have a more conciliatory foreign policy approach.
