China "Advises" Australia

In what can only be a threat, China is advising Australia to shirk its responsibilities under the ANZUS treaty in the event of a confrontation over Taiwan. China is scared because the U.S. and Japan have jointly warned china against invading the Republic of China on Taiwan. The People's Republic of China has been threatening the use of force if Taiwan, which has been defacto independent since 1949, formally declares its independance. An article in the Sidney Morning Herald reports that "US intelligence agencies have leaked details of a frenetic large-scale Chinese build-up of amphibious assault ships apparently intended to back up Beijing's threats of force." An Associated Press article reports that Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council has said the China's new anti-secession law gives China's military "a blank check to invade Taiwan" and "exposed the Chinese communists' attempt to use force to annex Taiwan." The article says that the Taiwanese army is preparing to receive an invasion by the so called People's Liberation Army. BBC report here. AFP reports "Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao urged greater development of China's military, saying modernization of the army was of strategic importance to safeguard the eventual reunification of Taiwan." The full story is here. Knight Rider's report on the Taiwan crisis is here. The Asia Times story is here. What interests me is that the PRC is so desperate that it is threatening other major powers.