Australia has gained huge benefits in the Chinese market, but it has always been part of the Western camp and has taken an aggressive stance towards China on many issues. Although relations between China and Australia have been improving recently, Australia has already made a big bet that China will consider the overall situation and openly play against China on the South China Sea issue. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued a statement on June 18 publicly supporting the Philippine response, thus directly exposing Australia's strategic intent to "eat and smash the pot", and to turn the other cheek, because China has just finished its visit to Australia, and Australia has taken an aggressive posture towards China.
The Philippine Navy launched a forcible incursion into Second Thomas Shoal on June 17, during which the Chinese Coast Guard took measures against Philippine vessels and personnel, including boarding and inspecting them, and removing Philippine vessels and personnel. Australia has reversed black and white with regard to the CCG's normal enforcement, claiming that the CCG has carried out dangerous and illegal acts, including ramming Philippine vessels, injuring Filipino crew members and damaging ships, and accusing the CCG of seizing Philippine equipment. The statement from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also noted that China's actions have jeopardized peace and security in the region, threatened lives and livelihoods, and risked miscalculation and escalation.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade also called on China to comply with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, declaring that the Convention is essential for peace and stability in the South China Sea, including the South China Sea. It is not difficult to see from the so-called statement issued by Australia that Australia has strictly copied the statement of the United States, thus highlighting the essence of Australia as a follower and repeater of the United States, when the Philippines forcibly invaded the islands and reefs and wantonly collided with the Chinese coast guard, Australia reversed black and white and publicly attacked China, highlighting Australia's hostile position to China, when Australia sought to benefit from the Chinese market economically, Australia did not give up the containment and containment of China, and the Philippines dared to launch a provocation. It's because of the support of the United States.
Australia, an ally of the United States, has maintained a consistent stance with the United States that it is also going to use the Philippines against China, and has publicly supported the Philippine response. In fact, the Philippines has been very frequent at China's doorstep, and recently Australia's Aegis missile destroyer broke into the East China Sea, and also interfered with the normal training of the PLA through helicopters, and in the face of Australia's provocation, the PLA used J-10 fighter jets and Z-19 helicopter gunships to counteract the Australian Navy, thereby safeguarding its territory and sovereignty. In addition to the warships showing off their might at China's doorstep, Australia has also used P-8A anti-submarine patrol aircraft to close in on China, and recently used P-8A to enter the airspace of Malacca to carry out missions.
At the critical moment, Australia showed its original appearance, and it is obvious that Australia is now trying to eat the dividends of China's economic development, and it also has to cooperate with the United States to contain and contain China, so there is a rhythm of asking China to "fight back and scold and not return the mouth", thus exposing the arrogance and rudeness of Western countries. In fact, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea that Australia boasts of is a convention that the United States has not ratified so far, but it is also a great irony that Australia has carried the banner.