China Warns Australia, page-66

The Chinese Navy has larger numbers, but this is mainly due to a large number of coastal missile boats and auxiliary ships. Comparing navies based on gross numbers alone shows a lack of understanding.

The US still holds a very clear technological advantage over the Chinese when it comes to submarine warfare.

The US also has 11 nuclear powered aircraft carriers. The two Chinese aircraft carriers are not in the same ballpark.

What Keating's comments fail to take into consideration is the way China is going to be contained is via an alliance of countries. As soon as these countries start to act individually and in an isolationist manner, China wins.

It would be correct to say that Australian forces alone being committed to fighting the Chinese would be like throwing toothpicks at a mountain. The thing is, Australian forces would be part of a coalition including the USA, Taiwan, Japan, and possibly India, UK & other EU countries. At that point Chinese forces become the toothpick. There'd be no Chinese naval assets left to attack Australian bases, they'd be sitting at the bottom of the ocean.

The Chinese are trying to scare countries into not allying with the US in defence of Taiwan. The Chinese are using this scare tactic because they know once an alliance of countries commits to defending Taiwan, the Chinese easily lose any ensuing conflict. You are falling for the scare tactic unfortunately, and acting in the exact way the Chinese are hoping you would.

Past conflicts of nations should have taught you that it's far better for an alliance of nations to act together, and quickly, rather than for each nation to wait until they are directly threatened before joining the fight. As many nations as possible should come out and draw a red line around Taiwan and commit to it's defence.

Cheers!