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Red Zone
China is a key nation for Australia's future - for our security, economy and identity. But what are China's intentions when it comes to Australia? And what lies behind the recent chill in relations between the two countries?
In this gripping book, Peter Hartcher shows how Australia woke up to China's challenge and explores what comes next. Will we see a further deterioration in relations, or is there a smarter way to deal with an authoritarian superpower? Hartcher shines new light on Beijing's overt and covert campaign for influence - over trade and defence, media and politics. And he looks at the Australian response so far and assesses its effectiveness.
In this gripping book, Peter Hartcher shows how Australia woke up to China's challenge and explores what comes next. Will we see a further deterioration in relations, or is there a smarter way to deal with an authoritarian superpower? Hartcher shines new light on Beijing's overt and covert campaign for influence - over trade and defence, media and politics. And he looks at the Australian response so far and assesses its effectiveness.
370 pages, Paperback
Published May 24, 2021
25 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Peter Hartcher
17 books8 followersPeter Hartcher is the political and international editor of The Sydney Morning Herald. His books include Bubble Man, The Sweet Spot and To the Bitter End. His first Quarterly Essay, Bipolar Nation, was published in 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 15, 2021
I stopped reading this after page 36. When I am reading a non fiction book I expect it to be objective & has some integrity. This book was published in 2021. But it quotes a Lowy institute survey result published in 2016 to make a certain point (that Australians can distinguish between Chinese regime and Chinese people, that Australians think positively about Chinese people)? Why not use data from 2017 - 2020? It is available every year (https://poll.lowyinstitute.org/charts...)?? You can see for yourself in the Lowy institute website the positive view about Chinese people have been declining since 2017. This book talks about the coronavirus so the author had access to 2020 data...so why use 2016 data??? It just makes me think, what is the intention of this book? I guess it is a book that tries to persuade you to take a certain position, or reinforce/validate an existing sentiment. It is not a book designed to inform accurately about the current situation.
September 3, 2022
SEPTEMBER
by Peter Hartcher (no photo)
Finish date: 02 September 2022
Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: A+++
Review: Red Zone (ISBN: 9781760642167)
Book was long listed for Walkley Award 2021 (book of the year)
I've written a long review for this book...
Good news: Hartcher explains how China works….
“Not like a hurricane coming hard and fast but more like
climate change long, slow, pervasive.” (pg 182)
My thoughts
by Peter Hartcher (no photo)Finish date: 02 September 2022
Genre: Non-fiction
Rating: A+++
Review: Red Zone (ISBN: 9781760642167)
Book was long listed for Walkley Award 2021 (book of the year)
I've written a long review for this book...
Good news: Hartcher explains how China works….
“Not like a hurricane coming hard and fast but more like
climate change long, slow, pervasive.” (pg 182)
My thoughts
May 28, 2021
Peter Hartcher has delivered an excellent review of Australia's and, indeed, the world's challenges in coming to grips with an assertive and uncompromising China. Australia is certainly in the cross-hairs and, fortunately, we have come to recognise this threat in time. But there is much yet to do to prepare Australian business and agriculture to shift away from the easy money that China used to represent, to the harder work of supporting our national strategic interests. Australians must also do more to protect and nurture our Chinese-Australian brothers and sisters from the pressures that may come their way from a China that fails to recognise their Australian loyalty and allegiance.
April 18, 2025
Interesting and informative, but my flabbers are ghasted at whoever edited this. The overall narrative lacked flow or logical sequencing, arguments were unclear and abandoned halfway through, and while some things were afforded a baffling level of granularity (in particular, certain people and groups that were mentioned once and never again, despite not contributing meaningfully to the point), other points neglected to fully evaluate the impact of issues (e.g. the final chapter which summarised the consequences to democracy but didn’t mention mis or disinformation).
A useful read, but would benefit greatly from a thorough review and restructure.
A useful read, but would benefit greatly from a thorough review and restructure.
July 29, 2025
I forgot that an 11 hour audiobook actually meant 11 hours! Taken me 20 days but finally done. Very good insight and some amazing research though, worth the time spent!
May 14, 2022
My Eyes Are Locked On Australia
I thought this was a very good book.
When reading it, I couldn't avoid the thought of how particularly similar it is to what is happening in Canada (read Claws of the Panda: Beijing's Campaign of Influence and Intimidation in Canada). In fact, both books were very similar.
This was one of the better recent reads of mine regarding China.
My eyes are locked on Australia lately. They have an important election this month and I am actively watching the goings-on on social media. This could be quite an important book to learn more about the clash.
I would highly recommend it to learn more.
I would also recommend the important and timely read, Silent Invasion: China's Influence In Australia and The Two Michaels: Innocent Canadian Captives, High Stakes Espionage, and the Us-China Cyber War to learn more on this topic.
4.8/5
I thought this was a very good book.
When reading it, I couldn't avoid the thought of how particularly similar it is to what is happening in Canada (read Claws of the Panda: Beijing's Campaign of Influence and Intimidation in Canada). In fact, both books were very similar.
This was one of the better recent reads of mine regarding China.
My eyes are locked on Australia lately. They have an important election this month and I am actively watching the goings-on on social media. This could be quite an important book to learn more about the clash.
I would highly recommend it to learn more.
I would also recommend the important and timely read, Silent Invasion: China's Influence In Australia and The Two Michaels: Innocent Canadian Captives, High Stakes Espionage, and the Us-China Cyber War to learn more on this topic.
4.8/5
December 13, 2022
Timely and important
Peter Hartcher has delivered a thoroughly researched and well-reasoned call to arms to Australian politicians, our defence force leadership, industry and citizens that we must prepare for what comes next from China.
Business as usual will not do if we are to be able to defend ourselves, create economic prosperity and have a stable democracy.
Hartcher details China’s multiple transgressions and clearly explains China’s long-term strategy, but most importantly, he sets out how we can combat China.
An important read for anyone interested in Australia’s future.
Peter Hartcher has delivered a thoroughly researched and well-reasoned call to arms to Australian politicians, our defence force leadership, industry and citizens that we must prepare for what comes next from China.
Business as usual will not do if we are to be able to defend ourselves, create economic prosperity and have a stable democracy.
Hartcher details China’s multiple transgressions and clearly explains China’s long-term strategy, but most importantly, he sets out how we can combat China.
An important read for anyone interested in Australia’s future.
August 2, 2021
Fantastic read. Hartcher makes a similar case to Clive Hamilton in Hidden Hand, but his execution is far better. He constructs a really cogent argument, which is not only informative and well resourced but also compelling to read. Whilst this may be due to its dramatisation of Australia-China relations (something I will need to reflect on having finished the book), Hartcher provides enough evidence to bolster his claims. I still don't really know which side of the fence I sit on, but this is a great read irrespective your leanings.
July 30, 2021
Brilliant piece on the China threat by Australia’s best journalist
Hartcher is a fearless journalist at a time where fearlessness is in short supply. This book provides an insight into the Chinese dictatorship’s capabilities and intentions. It is to be put next to Clive Hamilton’s work at the top of its genre. The more evidence one gathers about the Chinese Communist Party’s intentions, the more hawkish one becomes.
Hartcher is a fearless journalist at a time where fearlessness is in short supply. This book provides an insight into the Chinese dictatorship’s capabilities and intentions. It is to be put next to Clive Hamilton’s work at the top of its genre. The more evidence one gathers about the Chinese Communist Party’s intentions, the more hawkish one becomes.
June 26, 2021
This is fascinating and clearly written - assumes no prior knowledge but treats its reader with respect. The policy prescriptions at the end are bold - I am not sure about all of them - which is the point: democratic contest of ideas.
January 24, 2022
Some notes to take away
-ASD - Australian Signals Directorate (Australia's NSA)
-5G - "the core is no more"
-Turnbull - ended marginal visits
- froze ministerial contracts
-China - National Intelligence Law of 2017
-Australia had evidence China state influence Huawei
-Chinese ministries targeting Australia's: trade, education, tourism, foreign affairs, propaganda
-China - Han superiority - "notion of yellow race was a positive signal of imperial nobility"
-Australia inquired into Covid19 - China sanctioned wine, beef, 80% tariff on barley (worth 25 billion)
- China used more cement in 2011-2013 than US in 20th century - China's growth lofted 850 million people out of poverty in 4 decades to 2013
- Mao promoted Xi senior to: secretary-general of the State Council - and vice premier of National People's Congress
" Great Leap Forward" - 1958-1962
- CC3 - Dr Chau Chak Wing
- Ross and John Garnaut
- Red Guards slogan - "world is in great disorder - excellent situation"
- Xi Jinping - applied to communist youth league (1971) - applied to Communist Party itself (1974) - "for survival, be redder than red"
- Dalai Lama gifted Xi senior a watch, which he treasured
- Xi Senior advocated for freedom of expression
- China - People's Liberation Army - massacred students at Tiananmen Square (1989)
- Xi Jinping - "socialism with Chinese characteristics" - and uses words like "struggle" 50-60 times per speech
- "wolf warrior diplomacy"
Bill Shorten - blackmailed by chinese
Joe Hockey - billionaire wanted 15% of ASX?
Paul Keating
- most important remaining CCP advocate
- gave Pro-China speech in 2019
served on International advisory board of China Development Bank - state owned institution
China and Australia
Turnbull - quietly brief Beijing and Washington on Huawei ban
ScoMo - loudly inquired into origin of COVID
- Marice Payne announced it on ABCE, alone in the world stage
China threated to boycott 4 Australian Industries: wine, beef, tourism and education sectors
- other words, carrot lost its power to allure, and now a stick made an appearance
China gave Australia an ultimatum, money or national sovereignty
- Andrew Forest wanted money, thought inquiry would be too politically charged given Trump is in the Whitehouse
Beijing accepted resolution adopted unanimously by 194 member governments of World Health Assembly (decision making body of WHO)
- resolution provisioned a look into WHO co-ordinated efforts of the Covid search
Aussie companies should look into other markets like ASEAN, India, the Middle East, Latin America, the Pacific, a refoced Britain and Europe
- Beijing put new tariffs on barley, beef, wine, seafood, cotton and timber. And lamb!
"Clean plate" campaign - China's response to its food wastage
Mao- artificial famine in "Great Leap Forward"
- 2 meals a day
- make them "liquid" or "soft"
China blocked Australian food exports despite China's food wastage programs to punish Australia more than care for its own people
Capitulation to China is Australia's path to vassaldom (vassal- country subordinate to another)
Chinese attacks 3 core aspects of Australia -> sovereignty, social harmony and the economy
Lenin - "selling capitalists their rope"
Chinese immigrants name for Australia in the 1850s was "New Gold Mountain"
Kevin Rudd: "China's policy towards Australia has been "hostile"
- China wants:
- to silence Australia on human rights
- to disengage in foreign policy from South China Sea
- Australia to separate from trilateral arrangement with US and Japan
- close collaborative relationship in G20 with Australia on global financial and climate management
- Australia be a reliable trading partner (open investment environment and safe destination for Chinese students and tourists)
14 Demands and Grievances
1. Australia blocked 10 Chinese investment proposals for "national security concerns". Foreign decision should be questioned and allow Beijing's choices
2. Australia blocked Huawei/2TE from its 5G network, don't do that
3. Australia's foreign interference legislations targets China
4. Australia's politization/stigmatization of "normal" exchanges between China and Australia. Don't impose restrictions or revoke visas of Chinese scholars
5. Australia called for COVID inquiry, manipulated by US
6. Australia's incessant wanton interference in China's Xinjian, Hong Kong and Taiwan affairs
7. Australia was the first non-littoral country to make a statement on South China Sea to the UN
8. Australia sided with US's anti-China campaign, spreading misinformation about COVID
9. Australia's legislation to scrutinize agreements with foreign governments targeting towards China and aiming to torpedo the Victorian participation in Belt and Road Initiative. Don't scrutinize foreign agreements made with China
10. Australia provided funding for anti-China think-tanks
11. Australia searched for and seized Chinese journalists home and properties
12. Australia alleges China cyber-attacked Australia
13. Australia made "outrageous" condemnations of governing party of China by MPs and RACIST attacks against Asian people
14. Australia made unfriendly report on China by media, poisoning the atmosphere of bilateral relations
7 taboos written by Jinping in his first 6 months (Doc Number 9):
- Western constitutional democracy
- universal values
- civil society
- neoliberalism
- West's idea of journalism
- historical nihilism
- questioning "socialism with Chinese characteristics"
- China thinks west's values are a conspiracy against China
- China's name origin
- Angela Merkels "map" gifted to Xi was edited by Chinese media to show China's expansive takeover
"Hans" race invented by revolutionaries in 1899 to delegitimize the Qing Rulers
China's "century of humiliation"
- defeated by Britain in First Opium War in 1839-1842, when British took Hong Kong.
- defeated by Britain and France in second opium war, less than 20 years (invaders captured Beijing and burnt emperor's summer place)
- 8 Nations Alliance (8 nations crushed popular uprising called the Boxer Rebellion). They looted and pillaged
- Japanese affronts (including Tokyo's 21 demands and Rope of Nanjing by Japanese troops in 1937)
China marked "National Humiliation Day" or Defense Education Day
China leaves out the "Taiping Rebellion" in the history books- killed 10-70 million people!
- the Qing dynasty prevailed against he rebellion although weakened
- this stunted China
- Japan modernized itself by "Meiji Restoration"
Mao-found the key to power
Deng- found the key to wealth
Xi- promises to unite wealth and power for China Dream
China's economy = EU + Japan combined
China's biggest game "Homeland Dream" - patriotic
China's goal - community of common destiny - Belt and Road initiative
Perry Link - "Anatomy of Chinese"
- "Link brings aspects of the Chinese language—innate cadences, prosody—to the surface and analyzes them in such a fashion that we come to understand the structure and genius of Chinese better than ever before. It is a captivating and ingenious tale that the author spins.”—Victor Mair, University of Pennsylvania"
ASEAN - Association of Southeast Asian Nations
- China and ASEAN agreed to a "code of conduct" but China never complied, it doesn't want to be restrained
South China Sea
- most busiest shipping route
- most prospective seabed oil and gas deposits (as well as wealthiest fisheries)
- supports China's avid desire to push US navy away and established itself as a regional system
China - built artificial islands and militarized its hegemon over Spratlys and Paracel Islands
- China's "salami-slicing" or "cabbage leaf" - method of small provocations whose accumulative effects are large
- territorial expansion: fishing boats -> official vessels of fisheries administrations -> maritime surveillance vessel -> its coastguard -> its navy
- "grey-zone warfare" not armed-conflict, but intimidation
- win without fighting (via boats in sea and recently drones)
UNCLOS - UN Convention of the Law of the Sea
Silk road- stories routes trod by traders from Europe selling horses/honey/slaves to the East for silk, spice, gunpowder etc.
Chinese colonels published book called "unrestricted warfare"
Sun Tzu - "If one party is at war with another party who doesn't know they're in a war, they party that knows, wins!"
- therefore China has made an asymmetric war with the US
Bin Laden influenced harm on the US by letting US inflict harm on itself i.e. Afghanistan
Russia shut down electricity grids of Ukraine in 2015
- meddle with US election -> Russia refers to it as a "hybrid war"
China has no carriers to match the US, but developed long-range hypersonic missiles (DF-20 and DF-21) - could travel 1500 nautical miles
According to RAN Corporation, US would lose to Russia and China in simulations - not militarily might, but cyber and counter attacks at US "ranging from persistent precision strikes on Us Logistics, forces, and bases to electronic, kinetic, and cyber attacks on digital connections" - Micehele Flournoy
C4ISR - command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance
China and Russia, making their own GPS so it can't depend on US
Major business and famous chef (like George from Masterchef) were underpaying staff because Fair Work Commission weren't' enforcing the law
SoMo took serious enforcement steps of foreign interference corruption
- revoked visa of Huong Xiangmo (Chinese billionaire real estate developer)
- appointed 2 new heads of ASIO
ASIO and AFP (Australian Federal Police) joined to form Counter Foreign Intelligence taskforce- raided the home of a labor MP in 2020
- also raided 4 Chinese journalists for suspected foreign allegiance
- China called it "barbaric" and "hypocritical" and after when the 4 reporters were harassed by Australia, Birtles and Smith (Aussie journalists in China) were barred from leaving
- And secretly detained Cheng Lei
Counter Foreign Intelligence
- first arrest was given to Melbourne businessman, Liberal party member and former Victorian Liberal Party candidate, Dr Sanh Duong
FITS (the transparency bill) was issued to Tony Abbott who spoke at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) - US event hence "foreign"
"Confucius Institutes", teaches Chinese stuff with CCP characteristics
Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China (ACPPRC) was NOT listed in the transparency list
China - authoritarianism animated by psychology of totalitarianism
Controlling Australia was a formal decision according to Cheu Yonglin
China - handed 14 grievances
- $50 billion in trade embargoes
ScoMo didn't respond well to the picture of the Australian soldier killing Afghan child on twitter
Even though Beijing piled trade embargo on trade embargo, Australia's sale to China went from $148.35 billion in 2019 to $145 billion in 2020, only 2.2% drop
- mainly because of iron ore exports (China wanted more steel)
On a microeconomic level, businesses were hurting Australia due to the trade embargoes. Some did export to other countries like barley and coal
ScoMo;
- Morrison's "step up" policy offered overdue attention and support for PNG to deflect Chinese advances in that region
- Critical Mineral Facilitation Office to bring more Australia rare Earths into the world market, stop China's monopoly
- Foreign Relations Bill: prevents states/local/universities from making deals with Beijing that undercut national policy - so no Victoria Belt and Road agreements
Australia, US, Indian, Japan formed the "The Quad"- quadrilateral security dialogue, 4 Indo-Pacific democracies creating military boyband against China - support stability
Australian headlines has the word "China angry" hundreds of times, but its performative anger
China -> biggest outflow of rich immigrants
Australia -> biggest inflow of rich immigrants
Australia's Trust in China - 52% in 2018 -> 23% in 2020 (even before trade embargoes)
Japan is at 80% trust so its not racial
1.3 million Chinese Australians reside in Australia
ASIO chiefs: Duncan Lewis -> Mike Burgess
inveigle - persuade someone to do something by means of deception or flattery, "CCP uses White Australia policy history to inveigle the Chinese Australian community into believing Australia is racist"
Australia must reassure Chinese Australians that they belong to and are respected while continuing to discuss important issues
Senator Joe McCarthy - scare mongered and witch0hunted over the threat of Soviet Communism
- McCarthyism - synonymous with hysterical insinuations allegations of disloyalty and of treason
Eric Abetz used McCarthyism to ask 3 Chinese-Australians who helped informed a senator committee, if these chinese Australians worked forthe CCP. Their loyalty was questioned merely by their race
- Charter for academic freedom for universities to guard against the creeping pressures cowing academics into observing CCPs defense of free speech
Australia's pre-pandemic intake was 160k foreigners accepted to settle each year
Chinese Immigrants helped a lot in history
- tropical North Queensland
- did arduous work clearing jungles so it could be farmed
- pioneered banana industry
- planted sugar
- organizing the transport and shipping to get the produce to the cities to the south
- provided the capital as well as regional development
- operated thriving fishing industry of the Cairns region
- they drove the economy of Darwin too
For Australia to protect itself from the CCP intrusion through the Home Front Work Departments
- immigrations needs to involve better qualified officials from ASIO and Australian diplomatic staff
Prime facie- based on first impression, accepted as correct until proven otherwise
- author think ASIO and Immigration officers should prima face screen on ppl, more from mainland China, not Taiwan or Hong Kong
Yir People's minds are the "battleground "or "zhendi"
- Wechat is the most popular way for Chinese Australians to get news
- need to expand the ABC/SBS to Chinese speaking sector or establishing scholarships for Chinese speaking journalist students
- WeChat needs to meet standards of transparency, privacy and freedom of speech
Sun Tzu - "the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting"
Up until 2019, Australia never banned foreigners to donate to Australian political parties - it now forbids donations
Steps to take:
- ban all cash donations (can't be traced)
- disclose identities of donors and donations on a registry
- impose cap limit donations to "retail size" or maybe a few thousand
- enlarge and empower federal money tracking agency, AUSTRAC, to enforce the laws and monitor the funds
- form federal integrity commission "federal ICAC" to investigate corruption
Politicians aren't given security clearance - there's no vetting
- however this would make domestic intelligence agencies gatekeepers of Australia democracy
- Solution: crate independent parliamentary office to run security checks on new MPs and senators, it would be accountable to parliament itself
- e.g. Parliamentary Budget Office provides non-partisan cost of political parties budget proposals, we wouldn't trust politicians with this - e.g. Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority
ScoMo labels scrutinization's of Liberal MP Glady Liu as racist
The 2 main parties broadly agree on defense- immigration, foreign affairs and intelligence
Chinese "Global Times" said "if Australia provokes China, China will fight it to the end to protect its core interests Australian education, mining and agriculture all desire improved ties with China
Australia shouldn't be complacent on their iron ore advantage
- China is pouring billions into the vast simandou iron ore deposits of worst africa's guinea - might ship ore by 2025
Subsidizing companies affected by trade sanctions contravenes the rules for the World Trade Organization
- Solution: substantial government funding for trade promotion or industry marketing arrangements, help with finding new markets
Britain abandoned Australia to focus on Europe, it was the shock Australia needed to thrive - embracing Asian trade
CCP "military civil fusion" - requiring civilian infrastructure including telecommunications, to meet military needs and scientific research - unified civil-military whole
China hasn't fought in serious combat since its war with Vietnam in 1799
Xi expresses PLA's (People Liberation Army) anxieties
- 2 inabilities - army's inability to wage modern war - officer's ability to command modern war
- 5 incapables - judge situations, deploy troops, understand superior's intentions, deal with unexpected, and make operational decisions
Xi wants world class military by 2049
U.S
- 350 ships and subs
- 130 surface combatants
Australia's first 12 new submarines will be available by 2030
- if delayed by 3 years, Australia has "capability gap" - old subs out of service while new ships are't there yet
-China could have nuclear parity with Us in 5-10 years
- Australia signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1973
China reluctantly stopped opium from getting to the US
China helped stop cocained from getting to Australia
China - pre-empt all perceived threats to state security
"waishi" system -> managing foreign elements in China
China = paranoid - hence dominating and never-ending
Australian business - business in Chinese market
- CCP notes a possible pressure point
- "your deal, our leverage" - china's trading is "zero-sum"
China economically punished 11 countries for non-economic reasons
- France
- Japan
- Norway
- Philipinnes
- Britain
- Taiwan
- Mangolia
- South Korea
- Palau
- Canada
- Australia
"Australian New Express Daily" - offshoot of China's "New Express Daily", was owned by billionaire Dr Chau Chuk Wing, and operates in Chatswood
- Chau was a member of the CPPCC (Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference)
Olympics Torch Relay Fiasco
John Garnaut and wife - harassed by CCP agent?
China's Intelligence - Australia doesn't know about it because:
- post decade Cold War complacency, arrogance that liberalism > communism
- post 9/11 pre-occupation with terrorism
- public sector cutbacks
- popular culture
- we haven't wanted to know
"Party Faithful" by Anne-Marie Brady
MSS (Ministry of State Security) - foreign stuff - probably involved in kidnapping
- ESARD (External Security and Anti-Reconnaissance Division)
- Imaging Intelligence Division
- Enterprises Division
MPS (Ministry of Public Security) - measure dissent in China
- ILD (International Liaison Department)
-ASD - Australian Signals Directorate (Australia's NSA)
-5G - "the core is no more"
-Turnbull - ended marginal visits
- froze ministerial contracts
-China - National Intelligence Law of 2017
-Australia had evidence China state influence Huawei
-Chinese ministries targeting Australia's: trade, education, tourism, foreign affairs, propaganda
-China - Han superiority - "notion of yellow race was a positive signal of imperial nobility"
-Australia inquired into Covid19 - China sanctioned wine, beef, 80% tariff on barley (worth 25 billion)
- China used more cement in 2011-2013 than US in 20th century - China's growth lofted 850 million people out of poverty in 4 decades to 2013
- Mao promoted Xi senior to: secretary-general of the State Council - and vice premier of National People's Congress
" Great Leap Forward" - 1958-1962
- CC3 - Dr Chau Chak Wing
- Ross and John Garnaut
- Red Guards slogan - "world is in great disorder - excellent situation"
- Xi Jinping - applied to communist youth league (1971) - applied to Communist Party itself (1974) - "for survival, be redder than red"
- Dalai Lama gifted Xi senior a watch, which he treasured
- Xi Senior advocated for freedom of expression
- China - People's Liberation Army - massacred students at Tiananmen Square (1989)
- Xi Jinping - "socialism with Chinese characteristics" - and uses words like "struggle" 50-60 times per speech
- "wolf warrior diplomacy"
Bill Shorten - blackmailed by chinese
Joe Hockey - billionaire wanted 15% of ASX?
Paul Keating
- most important remaining CCP advocate
- gave Pro-China speech in 2019
served on International advisory board of China Development Bank - state owned institution
China and Australia
Turnbull - quietly brief Beijing and Washington on Huawei ban
ScoMo - loudly inquired into origin of COVID
- Marice Payne announced it on ABCE, alone in the world stage
China threated to boycott 4 Australian Industries: wine, beef, tourism and education sectors
- other words, carrot lost its power to allure, and now a stick made an appearance
China gave Australia an ultimatum, money or national sovereignty
- Andrew Forest wanted money, thought inquiry would be too politically charged given Trump is in the Whitehouse
Beijing accepted resolution adopted unanimously by 194 member governments of World Health Assembly (decision making body of WHO)
- resolution provisioned a look into WHO co-ordinated efforts of the Covid search
Aussie companies should look into other markets like ASEAN, India, the Middle East, Latin America, the Pacific, a refoced Britain and Europe
- Beijing put new tariffs on barley, beef, wine, seafood, cotton and timber. And lamb!
"Clean plate" campaign - China's response to its food wastage
Mao- artificial famine in "Great Leap Forward"
- 2 meals a day
- make them "liquid" or "soft"
China blocked Australian food exports despite China's food wastage programs to punish Australia more than care for its own people
Capitulation to China is Australia's path to vassaldom (vassal- country subordinate to another)
Chinese attacks 3 core aspects of Australia -> sovereignty, social harmony and the economy
Lenin - "selling capitalists their rope"
Chinese immigrants name for Australia in the 1850s was "New Gold Mountain"
Kevin Rudd: "China's policy towards Australia has been "hostile"
- China wants:
- to silence Australia on human rights
- to disengage in foreign policy from South China Sea
- Australia to separate from trilateral arrangement with US and Japan
- close collaborative relationship in G20 with Australia on global financial and climate management
- Australia be a reliable trading partner (open investment environment and safe destination for Chinese students and tourists)
14 Demands and Grievances
1. Australia blocked 10 Chinese investment proposals for "national security concerns". Foreign decision should be questioned and allow Beijing's choices
2. Australia blocked Huawei/2TE from its 5G network, don't do that
3. Australia's foreign interference legislations targets China
4. Australia's politization/stigmatization of "normal" exchanges between China and Australia. Don't impose restrictions or revoke visas of Chinese scholars
5. Australia called for COVID inquiry, manipulated by US
6. Australia's incessant wanton interference in China's Xinjian, Hong Kong and Taiwan affairs
7. Australia was the first non-littoral country to make a statement on South China Sea to the UN
8. Australia sided with US's anti-China campaign, spreading misinformation about COVID
9. Australia's legislation to scrutinize agreements with foreign governments targeting towards China and aiming to torpedo the Victorian participation in Belt and Road Initiative. Don't scrutinize foreign agreements made with China
10. Australia provided funding for anti-China think-tanks
11. Australia searched for and seized Chinese journalists home and properties
12. Australia alleges China cyber-attacked Australia
13. Australia made "outrageous" condemnations of governing party of China by MPs and RACIST attacks against Asian people
14. Australia made unfriendly report on China by media, poisoning the atmosphere of bilateral relations
7 taboos written by Jinping in his first 6 months (Doc Number 9):
- Western constitutional democracy
- universal values
- civil society
- neoliberalism
- West's idea of journalism
- historical nihilism
- questioning "socialism with Chinese characteristics"
- China thinks west's values are a conspiracy against China
- China's name origin
- Angela Merkels "map" gifted to Xi was edited by Chinese media to show China's expansive takeover
"Hans" race invented by revolutionaries in 1899 to delegitimize the Qing Rulers
China's "century of humiliation"
- defeated by Britain in First Opium War in 1839-1842, when British took Hong Kong.
- defeated by Britain and France in second opium war, less than 20 years (invaders captured Beijing and burnt emperor's summer place)
- 8 Nations Alliance (8 nations crushed popular uprising called the Boxer Rebellion). They looted and pillaged
- Japanese affronts (including Tokyo's 21 demands and Rope of Nanjing by Japanese troops in 1937)
China marked "National Humiliation Day" or Defense Education Day
China leaves out the "Taiping Rebellion" in the history books- killed 10-70 million people!
- the Qing dynasty prevailed against he rebellion although weakened
- this stunted China
- Japan modernized itself by "Meiji Restoration"
Mao-found the key to power
Deng- found the key to wealth
Xi- promises to unite wealth and power for China Dream
China's economy = EU + Japan combined
China's biggest game "Homeland Dream" - patriotic
China's goal - community of common destiny - Belt and Road initiative
Perry Link - "Anatomy of Chinese"
- "Link brings aspects of the Chinese language—innate cadences, prosody—to the surface and analyzes them in such a fashion that we come to understand the structure and genius of Chinese better than ever before. It is a captivating and ingenious tale that the author spins.”—Victor Mair, University of Pennsylvania"
ASEAN - Association of Southeast Asian Nations
- China and ASEAN agreed to a "code of conduct" but China never complied, it doesn't want to be restrained
South China Sea
- most busiest shipping route
- most prospective seabed oil and gas deposits (as well as wealthiest fisheries)
- supports China's avid desire to push US navy away and established itself as a regional system
China - built artificial islands and militarized its hegemon over Spratlys and Paracel Islands
- China's "salami-slicing" or "cabbage leaf" - method of small provocations whose accumulative effects are large
- territorial expansion: fishing boats -> official vessels of fisheries administrations -> maritime surveillance vessel -> its coastguard -> its navy
- "grey-zone warfare" not armed-conflict, but intimidation
- win without fighting (via boats in sea and recently drones)
UNCLOS - UN Convention of the Law of the Sea
Silk road- stories routes trod by traders from Europe selling horses/honey/slaves to the East for silk, spice, gunpowder etc.
Chinese colonels published book called "unrestricted warfare"
Sun Tzu - "If one party is at war with another party who doesn't know they're in a war, they party that knows, wins!"
- therefore China has made an asymmetric war with the US
Bin Laden influenced harm on the US by letting US inflict harm on itself i.e. Afghanistan
Russia shut down electricity grids of Ukraine in 2015
- meddle with US election -> Russia refers to it as a "hybrid war"
China has no carriers to match the US, but developed long-range hypersonic missiles (DF-20 and DF-21) - could travel 1500 nautical miles
According to RAN Corporation, US would lose to Russia and China in simulations - not militarily might, but cyber and counter attacks at US "ranging from persistent precision strikes on Us Logistics, forces, and bases to electronic, kinetic, and cyber attacks on digital connections" - Micehele Flournoy
C4ISR - command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance
China and Russia, making their own GPS so it can't depend on US
Major business and famous chef (like George from Masterchef) were underpaying staff because Fair Work Commission weren't' enforcing the law
SoMo took serious enforcement steps of foreign interference corruption
- revoked visa of Huong Xiangmo (Chinese billionaire real estate developer)
- appointed 2 new heads of ASIO
ASIO and AFP (Australian Federal Police) joined to form Counter Foreign Intelligence taskforce- raided the home of a labor MP in 2020
- also raided 4 Chinese journalists for suspected foreign allegiance
- China called it "barbaric" and "hypocritical" and after when the 4 reporters were harassed by Australia, Birtles and Smith (Aussie journalists in China) were barred from leaving
- And secretly detained Cheng Lei
Counter Foreign Intelligence
- first arrest was given to Melbourne businessman, Liberal party member and former Victorian Liberal Party candidate, Dr Sanh Duong
FITS (the transparency bill) was issued to Tony Abbott who spoke at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) - US event hence "foreign"
"Confucius Institutes", teaches Chinese stuff with CCP characteristics
Australian Council for the Promotion of Peaceful Reunification of China (ACPPRC) was NOT listed in the transparency list
China - authoritarianism animated by psychology of totalitarianism
Controlling Australia was a formal decision according to Cheu Yonglin
China - handed 14 grievances
- $50 billion in trade embargoes
ScoMo didn't respond well to the picture of the Australian soldier killing Afghan child on twitter
Even though Beijing piled trade embargo on trade embargo, Australia's sale to China went from $148.35 billion in 2019 to $145 billion in 2020, only 2.2% drop
- mainly because of iron ore exports (China wanted more steel)
On a microeconomic level, businesses were hurting Australia due to the trade embargoes. Some did export to other countries like barley and coal
ScoMo;
- Morrison's "step up" policy offered overdue attention and support for PNG to deflect Chinese advances in that region
- Critical Mineral Facilitation Office to bring more Australia rare Earths into the world market, stop China's monopoly
- Foreign Relations Bill: prevents states/local/universities from making deals with Beijing that undercut national policy - so no Victoria Belt and Road agreements
Australia, US, Indian, Japan formed the "The Quad"- quadrilateral security dialogue, 4 Indo-Pacific democracies creating military boyband against China - support stability
Australian headlines has the word "China angry" hundreds of times, but its performative anger
China -> biggest outflow of rich immigrants
Australia -> biggest inflow of rich immigrants
Australia's Trust in China - 52% in 2018 -> 23% in 2020 (even before trade embargoes)
Japan is at 80% trust so its not racial
1.3 million Chinese Australians reside in Australia
ASIO chiefs: Duncan Lewis -> Mike Burgess
inveigle - persuade someone to do something by means of deception or flattery, "CCP uses White Australia policy history to inveigle the Chinese Australian community into believing Australia is racist"
Australia must reassure Chinese Australians that they belong to and are respected while continuing to discuss important issues
Senator Joe McCarthy - scare mongered and witch0hunted over the threat of Soviet Communism
- McCarthyism - synonymous with hysterical insinuations allegations of disloyalty and of treason
Eric Abetz used McCarthyism to ask 3 Chinese-Australians who helped informed a senator committee, if these chinese Australians worked forthe CCP. Their loyalty was questioned merely by their race
- Charter for academic freedom for universities to guard against the creeping pressures cowing academics into observing CCPs defense of free speech
Australia's pre-pandemic intake was 160k foreigners accepted to settle each year
Chinese Immigrants helped a lot in history
- tropical North Queensland
- did arduous work clearing jungles so it could be farmed
- pioneered banana industry
- planted sugar
- organizing the transport and shipping to get the produce to the cities to the south
- provided the capital as well as regional development
- operated thriving fishing industry of the Cairns region
- they drove the economy of Darwin too
For Australia to protect itself from the CCP intrusion through the Home Front Work Departments
- immigrations needs to involve better qualified officials from ASIO and Australian diplomatic staff
Prime facie- based on first impression, accepted as correct until proven otherwise
- author think ASIO and Immigration officers should prima face screen on ppl, more from mainland China, not Taiwan or Hong Kong
Yir People's minds are the "battleground "or "zhendi"
- Wechat is the most popular way for Chinese Australians to get news
- need to expand the ABC/SBS to Chinese speaking sector or establishing scholarships for Chinese speaking journalist students
- WeChat needs to meet standards of transparency, privacy and freedom of speech
Sun Tzu - "the supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting"
Up until 2019, Australia never banned foreigners to donate to Australian political parties - it now forbids donations
Steps to take:
- ban all cash donations (can't be traced)
- disclose identities of donors and donations on a registry
- impose cap limit donations to "retail size" or maybe a few thousand
- enlarge and empower federal money tracking agency, AUSTRAC, to enforce the laws and monitor the funds
- form federal integrity commission "federal ICAC" to investigate corruption
Politicians aren't given security clearance - there's no vetting
- however this would make domestic intelligence agencies gatekeepers of Australia democracy
- Solution: crate independent parliamentary office to run security checks on new MPs and senators, it would be accountable to parliament itself
- e.g. Parliamentary Budget Office provides non-partisan cost of political parties budget proposals, we wouldn't trust politicians with this - e.g. Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority
ScoMo labels scrutinization's of Liberal MP Glady Liu as racist
The 2 main parties broadly agree on defense- immigration, foreign affairs and intelligence
Chinese "Global Times" said "if Australia provokes China, China will fight it to the end to protect its core interests Australian education, mining and agriculture all desire improved ties with China
Australia shouldn't be complacent on their iron ore advantage
- China is pouring billions into the vast simandou iron ore deposits of worst africa's guinea - might ship ore by 2025
Subsidizing companies affected by trade sanctions contravenes the rules for the World Trade Organization
- Solution: substantial government funding for trade promotion or industry marketing arrangements, help with finding new markets
Britain abandoned Australia to focus on Europe, it was the shock Australia needed to thrive - embracing Asian trade
CCP "military civil fusion" - requiring civilian infrastructure including telecommunications, to meet military needs and scientific research - unified civil-military whole
China hasn't fought in serious combat since its war with Vietnam in 1799
Xi expresses PLA's (People Liberation Army) anxieties
- 2 inabilities - army's inability to wage modern war - officer's ability to command modern war
- 5 incapables - judge situations, deploy troops, understand superior's intentions, deal with unexpected, and make operational decisions
Xi wants world class military by 2049
U.S
- 350 ships and subs
- 130 surface combatants
Australia's first 12 new submarines will be available by 2030
- if delayed by 3 years, Australia has "capability gap" - old subs out of service while new ships are't there yet
-China could have nuclear parity with Us in 5-10 years
- Australia signed Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1973
China reluctantly stopped opium from getting to the US
China helped stop cocained from getting to Australia
China - pre-empt all perceived threats to state security
"waishi" system -> managing foreign elements in China
China = paranoid - hence dominating and never-ending
Australian business - business in Chinese market
- CCP notes a possible pressure point
- "your deal, our leverage" - china's trading is "zero-sum"
China economically punished 11 countries for non-economic reasons
- France
- Japan
- Norway
- Philipinnes
- Britain
- Taiwan
- Mangolia
- South Korea
- Palau
- Canada
- Australia
"Australian New Express Daily" - offshoot of China's "New Express Daily", was owned by billionaire Dr Chau Chuk Wing, and operates in Chatswood
- Chau was a member of the CPPCC (Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference)
Olympics Torch Relay Fiasco
John Garnaut and wife - harassed by CCP agent?
China's Intelligence - Australia doesn't know about it because:
- post decade Cold War complacency, arrogance that liberalism > communism
- post 9/11 pre-occupation with terrorism
- public sector cutbacks
- popular culture
- we haven't wanted to know
"Party Faithful" by Anne-Marie Brady
MSS (Ministry of State Security) - foreign stuff - probably involved in kidnapping
- ESARD (External Security and Anti-Reconnaissance Division)
- Imaging Intelligence Division
- Enterprises Division
MPS (Ministry of Public Security) - measure dissent in China
- ILD (International Liaison Department)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2024
Easy to understand, and Hartcher explains any jargon to his reader. If you’re curious about the political history between Australia and China, Red Zone is a good place to start. I’ve read about things I didn’t know and I have had things explained to me I originally didn’t understand, this is the type of book they should have in schools.
I’m racking my brain trying to remember what I learnt in history class about China and I could only remember the Gold Rush, and it’s a shame because China has played such a large part in Australia immigration and culture.
It has made me think more about upcoming wars Australia could potentially be involved in and I have doubts about America’s strength and friendships. If America goes to war and calls on Australia we would have no choice but to go, but if Australia calls on America for help I think America will only help us if there is political or monetary benefits. But if America denies us help how will that affect America’s friendships with other countries, and can America defeat China on their own?
I’m racking my brain trying to remember what I learnt in history class about China and I could only remember the Gold Rush, and it’s a shame because China has played such a large part in Australia immigration and culture.
It has made me think more about upcoming wars Australia could potentially be involved in and I have doubts about America’s strength and friendships. If America goes to war and calls on Australia we would have no choice but to go, but if Australia calls on America for help I think America will only help us if there is political or monetary benefits. But if America denies us help how will that affect America’s friendships with other countries, and can America defeat China on their own?
April 24, 2022
This to me, though admittedly no foreign affairs expert, seems a most balanced appraisal and usefully pertinent look at the Chinese and Australian relationship. Anyone interested in developments on the international stage, I would encourage you to have a considered reading of this book. I highly recommend it. For those not that interested, particularly from Australia, this book may be useful in dropping the scales from your eyes on what is probably the most significant threat to Australia's sovereign security and economic well being.
February 13, 2025
A rising powerful and aggressive China is threat to the democratic liberal western world, including Australia. This is the central theme of this very well researched, succinctly written book.
Australia got too late to acknowledge and stand up to the China threat, and now needs to work hard to protect its national interest and democratic values. Its economic dependence on China makes it most vulnerable western democratic country in the world.
A must read book to understand present China-Australia relations and the future course it may take.
Australia got too late to acknowledge and stand up to the China threat, and now needs to work hard to protect its national interest and democratic values. Its economic dependence on China makes it most vulnerable western democratic country in the world.
A must read book to understand present China-Australia relations and the future course it may take.
August 10, 2021
Excellent, but for his stupid TDS.
US only entered WW1, and WW2 once the winning side had been revealed, then came in for the finish and spoils. I'd trust Trump over Obama or Biden. This author doesn't understand the Trump phenomenon as the only hope for a revitalised west.
US only entered WW1, and WW2 once the winning side had been revealed, then came in for the finish and spoils. I'd trust Trump over Obama or Biden. This author doesn't understand the Trump phenomenon as the only hope for a revitalised west.
October 31, 2023
Sorry got confused.See my review on the article “Red Zone”.
April 7, 2022
(3.5 stars)
An interesting perspective on the ‘China problem’, Peter Hartcher provides a lot of potential answers for how Australia can deal with the threat posed. In parts a history of the Sino-Australian relationship, in others a critical analysis of our current predicament, it’s certainly worth a read for those interested in Australia’s geo-strategic future. However at times the smugness of Hartcher emanates in his writing and it’s clear that his interpretation of some things are skewed. All in all a solid read.
An interesting perspective on the ‘China problem’, Peter Hartcher provides a lot of potential answers for how Australia can deal with the threat posed. In parts a history of the Sino-Australian relationship, in others a critical analysis of our current predicament, it’s certainly worth a read for those interested in Australia’s geo-strategic future. However at times the smugness of Hartcher emanates in his writing and it’s clear that his interpretation of some things are skewed. All in all a solid read.
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