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Australia has been described as an “unreliable and non-inference ally” of the United States during a recent discussion about a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
US defence experts Erik Prince and Erik Bethel made the comments during a recent Shawn Ryan Show podcast discussing a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, published on 17 June.
Prince, a former US Navy SEAL soldier and founder of private military company Blackwater, has significant ties to the US industrial and political base as a vocal advocate for privatised military operations and deregulation.
Bethel, a general partner at Mare Liberum and fellow at the US Center for Strategic and International Studies, previously represented the United States at the World Bank, is a board member on the United States Naval War College Foundation and an adviser to Oxford Analytica.
“In Australia, you have a prime minister, Albanese, who is much more conciliatory (towards China). He’s from the left-wing sort of Labor Party side of the equation who value non-inference in Taiwan,” Bethel said.
“Nobody wants to get into World War II but you can’t signal that you’re not going to interfere.
“I’m not saying he has done this, but he comes from the political party that has been much more conciliatory and says, ‘Let’s not muddy the waters with China, let’s just keep things on an even keeled basis’.
“(In addition) Australia’s economy is very dependent on selling iron ore to China, selling natural gas to China, selling agricultural products to China.
“It’s a giant continent with very few people, that has a lot of natural resources with pretty much one buyer (China). So, I think the business community says, ‘Hey, look, let’s not create waves here (with China).
“So, I’m not sure that you can count on 100 per cent (on Australia against China). My biggest hope or confidence in an ally that would come if Taiwan goes (into defence against China) is Japan.”
Blackwater PMC founder Prince drew an even sharper vision, saying the Australian population and political system was in “bad shape” in regard to resisting China.
“It’s worse than that. Australia, all of 22 million people (26 million), has had a massive influx of non-native Australian-type people,” he said.
“A lot from China and India, who don’t really subscribe to the same old Aussie values that you would imagine. Especially the Chinese business class.
“Both sides of the party (Liberal and Labor) on both sides of politics have been sellouts to corporatists and low labour cost importing of labour.
“Australia is in bad shape that way politically.”
