Australian intelligence expert: China's missile test confirms need to guard against Beijing's threat

(Central News Agency, Sydney, July 6) - Just over two hours after Australia and Fiji signed the "Oceanic Peace Alliance" agreement today, China immediately test-fired a missile towards the Pacific Ocean. In response, Michael Shoebridge, an intelligence and strategic expert at Strategic Analysis Australia, stated that China's actions on one hand highlight its aggressiveness, and on the other hand reflect its disregard for the international community's reactions, believing that military power allows it to do as it pleases.

Shoebridge, who previously served as an intelligence analyst at the Australian Signals Directorate and the Defence Intelligence Organisation, and is currently the Director of Strategic Analysis Australia, told CNA in a telephone interview that China's missile test today undoubtedly confirms that Australia and Pacific nations must guard against China's military threat.

Shoebridge said that Beijing's move is terrible. The security partnership agreement signed by Australia and Fiji clearly aims to address the question of "whether China's growing military activities in the Pacific and South Pacific regions are aggressive?" Beijing's decision to test-fire a missile, reportedly capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, is tantamount to declaring, "Yes, China is indeed an increasingly aggressive security threat."

Shoebridge mentioned that the targets of China's missile test this time, in addition to Australia, also include the signatories of the "South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty" (Treaty of Rarotonga); the purpose of this treaty is to establish the South Pacific as a nuclear-weapon-free zone.

Shoebridge pointed out that China's act of test-firing a missile towards the Pacific is bound to provoke backlash from the signatories of the "South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty." He said, "With such a malicious act, it will be difficult for China to claim that its activities in this region are entirely positive and pose no threat to anyone."

Shoebridge warned that this missile test reflects China's "complete disregard for the international community's perception of it, and even its failure to calculate the reactions of other countries." He said, "Beijing believes that it no longer needs to pay attention to the reactions of other countries; it feels strong enough to do as it pleases."

In addition, regarding the "Oceanic Peace Alliance" agreement signed by Australia and Fiji today, Shoebridge expressed his approval. He said, "Clearly, we (Australia and Fiji) both regard each other as very important security partners; because both our countries are facing increasingly severe security challenges." Shoebridge pointed out that with the signing of the agreement, Australia needs to provide more equipment, training, and assistance to the Fijian military, and Fiji also needs to strengthen its own military capabilities.

Shoebridge emphasized that the "Oceanic Peace Alliance" is not a bilateral agreement limited to Australia and Fiji; it is a regional agreement open to participation by other South Pacific countries, and it is expected to promote enhanced security cooperation among countries in the region. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150706

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