Xi Jinping’s tactics in the Pacific theatre have been unpacked by former Australian MP Kevin Andrews, who believes the Chinese President is basing his military approach on ancient strategist Sun Tzu’s “art of war.” Mr Andrews went on to point out two “ominous developments” over China’s geopolitical ambitions for Taiwan and the wider Asia-pacific region.
Sky News Australia’s Andrew Bolt introduced the former Australian MP saying: “You’ve written a piece in the Spectator, Australia, this week on the Sun Tzu’s style, you know the art of war style military approach of Xi Jinping, who’s obviously studied Sun Tzi very closely, particularly when it comes to the Pacific.”
Mr Andrews said: “Yes, Xi Jinping has consistently said that you can use force in order to prevent war.
“What that means is spelt out in more detail by the PLA which says you can’t cross the Chinese Communist Party red lines.
“And one of those red lines it includes regarding Taiwan, for example, and anything within the so-called Nine-Dash line as part of mainland China.”
He added: “And in fact, there’s been two more ominous developments in the past few days.
“Firstly, a spokesman for the Chinese Communist Party has said that the whole of the Taiwan Straits that area of water between Mainland China and Taiwan is now Chinese territory, it’s not international waters, which is historically been the case.
“Secondly, Xi Jinping has issued some legal articles which authorise the Chinese military to be able to use force effectively anywhere around the world to protect Chinese interests.
“So this is a very significant escalation on the part of Gigi ping and the Chinese Communist Party in terms of the security threats to not just the immediate area of China, but indeed to the whole Indo Pacific.”
It comes as China carried out a land-based missile interception test that “achieved its expected purpose”, the Defence Ministry said, describing it as defensive and not aimed at any country.
China has been ramping up research into all sorts of missiles, from those that can destroy satellites in space to advanced nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, as part of an ambitious modernisation scheme overseen by President Xi Jinping.
Beijing has tested missile interceptors before; the most recent previous public announcement of a test was in February 2021, and before that in 2018. State media has said China has conducted anti-missile system tests since at least 2010.
The ministry said in a brief statement late on Sunday that the “ground-based midcourse anti-missile intercept technology” test had been carried out that night.
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“The test reached its expected goals,” the ministry said.
“This test was defensive and not aimed at any country.”
It provided no other details.
China, along with its ally Russia, have repeatedly expressed opposition to the US deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea.