Taiwan ‘at risk' of Chinese invasion by 2027
'The Chinese political rhetoric is clear … President Xi has said as much in all of his proclamations and party congress announcements,' Mr Langford told Sky News host Peta Credlin.
'I think you'd have to come to a judgment that the security situation is at risk and therefore, Australia needs to plan accordingly.
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Sky News AU
31 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
‘Embarrassing': Albanese's 'peace partner' Mahmoud Abbas' vile thesis denying the Holocaust and defending Hitler exposed
Sky News host Andrew Bolt has admonished Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for 'banking everything' on 'crazy Jew hater' Mahmoud Abbas, after exposing the Palestinian Authority President's "sick" PhD thesis. Mr Albanese announced Australia would recognise Palestine at the United Nations next month, an act which was later praised by Hamas as one of 'political courage'. The Sky News host lashed Mr Albanese for putting his faith in Abbas, who has a long history of antisemitic rhetoric. Bolt said Abbas had 'promised' Mr Albanese he would stop Hamas from playing any role in any future Palestinian state. 'It won't have a role even though the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Social Research has said that Hamas is actually the most popular party by far in Palestine and it's Abbas who should go - 81 per cent of Palestinians want him to resign because he is so corrupt,' Bolt said. 'Yet Albanese actually believed Abbas, an 89-year-old who hasn't held elections for 19 years .' Bolt said the 'biggest sick joke' in Mr Albanese's choice of Abbas as a partner in peace was the PA President's defence of Adolf Hitler. 'Two years ago (Abbas) defended Hitler, claiming the Nazi leader didn't kill six million Jews just because they were Jews, but in fact because of their social role,' Bolt said. 'Even madder is that Abbas… wrote a PhD when he was studying in the Soviet Union called The Connection Between the Nazis and the Leaders of the Zionist Movement, from 1933 to 1945, and this thesis is as sick as it sounds.' Bolt said Abbas had put forward in his thesis that Jewish leaders had conspired with Hitler in conducting the Jewish genocide before and during World War II. "He wrote: 'Zionist emissaries were given free access to the concentration camps in order to find suitable people and abandon other unsuitable people who were not supposed to leave the concentration camps alive'," Bolt said. "Abbas also claimed that Zionists... sunk the Struma, which was a ship taking 600 Jews to Palestine, Jews that, according to Abbas, were improper in the eyes of Zionists who had them killed, every one of them in 1942. "Abass even claimed in his thesis that during World War II the Zionists did not take an active part in the struggle against fascism, confirming a Jewish conspiracy they really were for Hitler. In fact of course, 30,000 Jews from Eretz, Israel, this is in Palestine at the time, enlisted in the British military and more than half a million Jews joined the US Army." Bolt said Abbas had convinced the Prime Minister he would 'clean up corruption in the Palestinian Authority', by stopping the 'pensions to relatives of Jew haters'. 'Albanese actually believed him and now he can't say how he can actually make Abbas follow through or stop Hamas from taking over again today. How can he stop Hamas taking over? More embarrassing blather,' Bolt said. At a press conference on Wednesday, Mr Albanese dodged Sky News questioning on the demilitarisation of Hamas and failed to explain whether it was possible - despite it being a clear condition he placed for recognition. Mr Abbas, who has led the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 2004, has not faced a democratic election since 2005. He abolished the Palestinian parliament in 2007 following a violent split with Hamas and has ruled by decree ever since. In a 2023 speech to his Fatah party, Abbas claimed the Holocaust was 'not about antisemitism', instead blaming Jews' 'social role', such as involvement in finance. In the same speech, he claimed European Jews had no historical connection to the Middle East - a discredited antisemitic theory. He has also compared Israel to the Nazis, accusing it of lying 'like Goebbels', and has previously told German Chancellor Olaf Scholz Israel has committed '50 Holocausts' against Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority has also been marred by corruption, with polls suggesting its citizens are unsure about it taking control of a Palestinian state.
Sky News AU
31 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
‘Completely unacceptable': Albanese govt ‘not prepared' to discuss with Australians the threat of regional conflict with China
The Coalition has said the Albanese government is "not prepared to have an upfront discussion" about the threats to our country, which were spelled out in a recent Sky News special event. Last week, Sky News aired the special event 'The War Cabinet' comprising of a panel of defence experts who warned a conflict looms in the Indo-Pacific region. During the discussion, former Labor Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, who served in the first Rudd government, said Australia's strategic outlook in the Indo-Pacific region was 'deteriorating rather markedly' and that the warning time of an attack is much shorter. Additionally, CyberCX executive director Katherine Mansted said while Australia was not at war, 'we're certainly not at peace' and the Australian public had a 'huge stake' in defending its sovereignty. 'Chinese military cyber spies are actively probing our civilian critical infrastructure, looking for weaknesses and looking for ways to get in and hide and bide, potentially for high-impact sabotage, if relations deteriorate in the region,' she said. Speaking to Sky News on Wednesday, Shadow Defence Minister Angus Taylor said despite the clear warnings, the Albanese government was 'not prepared' to talk about a conflict with China. 'They're not prepared to have an upfront discussion with the Australian people about the risk of domination of the Indo-Pacific by the Chinese Communist Party,' he told Sky News host Chris Kenny. 'I mean live-fire exercises off the south coast of New South Wales and the government has nothing serious to say about it.' Mr Taylor said Australia had 'no choice' but to increase its defence spending from two to three per cent of GDP to ensure the Australian Defence Force (ADF) was prepared and capable to defend the nation. 'I know this is difficult at a time like this to find that money but we have no choice,' he said. 'We need to have an Australian Defence Force that is prepared, that is agile, that has the people it needs, that has this sovereign manufacturing capability it needs – missile manufacturing, drone and counter-drone manufacturing – the emerging technologies that we are seeing are playing such a critical role in conflicts around the world. 'The objective here of course is peace.' Mr Taylor said Australia must also have a 'strong alliance' and admonished the Prime Minister for not having had a meeting with President Donald Trump. 'That's completely unacceptable,' he said.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
US deploys warships to disputed South China Sea shoal
The United States has deployed two warships in a disputed South China Sea shoal where two Chinese ships collided earlier in the week while trying to drive away a smaller Philippine ship in a high-seas accident that raised alarms about maritime safety. Both China and the Philippines claim Scarborough Shoal and other outcroppings in the South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also lay overlapping claims in the contested waters. The USS Higgins, a guided missile destroyer, and USS Cincinnati, a littoral combat ship, were shadowed by a Chinese navy ship while sailing about 55km from the Scarborough Shoal. There were no reports of any untoward incident, Philippine coast guard Commodore Jay Tarriela said, citing information from US officials and a Philippine surveillance flight. The US navy has staged what it calls freedom-of-navigation voyages and overflights in the South China Sea for years to challenge China's restrictions and its demand for entry notifications in virtually the entire stretch of the disputed waters that it claims. That has angered China and its forces have had close runs-in with US warships and aircraft on such patrols in international waters and airspace. The deployment happened after US ambassador to the Phillipines MaryKay Carlson on Tuesday condemned "the latest reckless action by China directed against a Philippine vessel" in Scarborough. The rich fishing atoll off the northwestern Philippines has been the scene of increasingly tense confrontations between the Chinese and Philippine coast guard, fishing and other ships in recent years. The Philippines is the oldest treaty ally of the US in Asia. The US has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea. On Monday, a Chinese navy destroyer and a Chinese coast guard ship accidentally collided while trying to block and drive away a smaller Philippine coast guard ship, the BRP Suluan, about 19km from Scarborough. Video footages made public by the Philippine coast guard show the Chinese coast guard ship blasting its powerful water cannon and a number of Chinese personnel standing at the bow shortly before that section was hit by the fast-turning Chinese navy ship. Shortly after the collision, the video shows the heavily shattered bow of the Chinese coast guard ship without the Chinese personnel, who were standing on deck before the crash. The Chinese navy ship sustained deep dents and what appeared to be linear gushes on its hull. Japan, Australia and New Zealand expressed alarm on Wednesday over the dangerous manoeuvres that led to the collision in the busy waters, a key global trade route. "Japan upholds the rule of law and opposes any actions which increase tensions. Our concern goes to the repeated actions in the South China Sea," Japanese ambassador to Manila Endo Kazuya said in a post on X. The Australian embassy in Manila expressed concern "by the dangerous and unprofessional conduct of Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal involving the Philippine Coast Guard," saying in a statement the incident "highlights the need for de-escalation, restraint and respect for international law". "This is a learning experience for the People's Republic of China," Tarriela, the Philippine coast guard commodore, told a news conference in Manila. "For so many years, we have been reminding them to stop dangerous maneuvers, to stop risky blockings, to adhere to the (anti-)collision regulations because if there is a very high chance of miscalculation, this kind of collision incident would happen." Tarriela spoke a few hours after a Chinese fighter jet flew as close as 150 metres to try to drive away a Philippine coast guard plane on a surveillance flight on Wednesday over the Scarborough with invited journalists on board. The Chinese jet carried out dangerous manoeuvrers for about 20 minutes, including flying about 60 metres above the small Philippine aircraft, Tarriela said. The United States has deployed two warships in a disputed South China Sea shoal where two Chinese ships collided earlier in the week while trying to drive away a smaller Philippine ship in a high-seas accident that raised alarms about maritime safety. Both China and the Philippines claim Scarborough Shoal and other outcroppings in the South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also lay overlapping claims in the contested waters. The USS Higgins, a guided missile destroyer, and USS Cincinnati, a littoral combat ship, were shadowed by a Chinese navy ship while sailing about 55km from the Scarborough Shoal. There were no reports of any untoward incident, Philippine coast guard Commodore Jay Tarriela said, citing information from US officials and a Philippine surveillance flight. The US navy has staged what it calls freedom-of-navigation voyages and overflights in the South China Sea for years to challenge China's restrictions and its demand for entry notifications in virtually the entire stretch of the disputed waters that it claims. That has angered China and its forces have had close runs-in with US warships and aircraft on such patrols in international waters and airspace. The deployment happened after US ambassador to the Phillipines MaryKay Carlson on Tuesday condemned "the latest reckless action by China directed against a Philippine vessel" in Scarborough. The rich fishing atoll off the northwestern Philippines has been the scene of increasingly tense confrontations between the Chinese and Philippine coast guard, fishing and other ships in recent years. The Philippines is the oldest treaty ally of the US in Asia. The US has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea. On Monday, a Chinese navy destroyer and a Chinese coast guard ship accidentally collided while trying to block and drive away a smaller Philippine coast guard ship, the BRP Suluan, about 19km from Scarborough. Video footages made public by the Philippine coast guard show the Chinese coast guard ship blasting its powerful water cannon and a number of Chinese personnel standing at the bow shortly before that section was hit by the fast-turning Chinese navy ship. Shortly after the collision, the video shows the heavily shattered bow of the Chinese coast guard ship without the Chinese personnel, who were standing on deck before the crash. The Chinese navy ship sustained deep dents and what appeared to be linear gushes on its hull. Japan, Australia and New Zealand expressed alarm on Wednesday over the dangerous manoeuvres that led to the collision in the busy waters, a key global trade route. "Japan upholds the rule of law and opposes any actions which increase tensions. Our concern goes to the repeated actions in the South China Sea," Japanese ambassador to Manila Endo Kazuya said in a post on X. The Australian embassy in Manila expressed concern "by the dangerous and unprofessional conduct of Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal involving the Philippine Coast Guard," saying in a statement the incident "highlights the need for de-escalation, restraint and respect for international law". "This is a learning experience for the People's Republic of China," Tarriela, the Philippine coast guard commodore, told a news conference in Manila. "For so many years, we have been reminding them to stop dangerous maneuvers, to stop risky blockings, to adhere to the (anti-)collision regulations because if there is a very high chance of miscalculation, this kind of collision incident would happen." Tarriela spoke a few hours after a Chinese fighter jet flew as close as 150 metres to try to drive away a Philippine coast guard plane on a surveillance flight on Wednesday over the Scarborough with invited journalists on board. The Chinese jet carried out dangerous manoeuvrers for about 20 minutes, including flying about 60 metres above the small Philippine aircraft, Tarriela said. The United States has deployed two warships in a disputed South China Sea shoal where two Chinese ships collided earlier in the week while trying to drive away a smaller Philippine ship in a high-seas accident that raised alarms about maritime safety. Both China and the Philippines claim Scarborough Shoal and other outcroppings in the South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also lay overlapping claims in the contested waters. The USS Higgins, a guided missile destroyer, and USS Cincinnati, a littoral combat ship, were shadowed by a Chinese navy ship while sailing about 55km from the Scarborough Shoal. There were no reports of any untoward incident, Philippine coast guard Commodore Jay Tarriela said, citing information from US officials and a Philippine surveillance flight. The US navy has staged what it calls freedom-of-navigation voyages and overflights in the South China Sea for years to challenge China's restrictions and its demand for entry notifications in virtually the entire stretch of the disputed waters that it claims. That has angered China and its forces have had close runs-in with US warships and aircraft on such patrols in international waters and airspace. The deployment happened after US ambassador to the Phillipines MaryKay Carlson on Tuesday condemned "the latest reckless action by China directed against a Philippine vessel" in Scarborough. The rich fishing atoll off the northwestern Philippines has been the scene of increasingly tense confrontations between the Chinese and Philippine coast guard, fishing and other ships in recent years. The Philippines is the oldest treaty ally of the US in Asia. The US has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea. On Monday, a Chinese navy destroyer and a Chinese coast guard ship accidentally collided while trying to block and drive away a smaller Philippine coast guard ship, the BRP Suluan, about 19km from Scarborough. Video footages made public by the Philippine coast guard show the Chinese coast guard ship blasting its powerful water cannon and a number of Chinese personnel standing at the bow shortly before that section was hit by the fast-turning Chinese navy ship. Shortly after the collision, the video shows the heavily shattered bow of the Chinese coast guard ship without the Chinese personnel, who were standing on deck before the crash. The Chinese navy ship sustained deep dents and what appeared to be linear gushes on its hull. Japan, Australia and New Zealand expressed alarm on Wednesday over the dangerous manoeuvres that led to the collision in the busy waters, a key global trade route. "Japan upholds the rule of law and opposes any actions which increase tensions. Our concern goes to the repeated actions in the South China Sea," Japanese ambassador to Manila Endo Kazuya said in a post on X. The Australian embassy in Manila expressed concern "by the dangerous and unprofessional conduct of Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal involving the Philippine Coast Guard," saying in a statement the incident "highlights the need for de-escalation, restraint and respect for international law". "This is a learning experience for the People's Republic of China," Tarriela, the Philippine coast guard commodore, told a news conference in Manila. "For so many years, we have been reminding them to stop dangerous maneuvers, to stop risky blockings, to adhere to the (anti-)collision regulations because if there is a very high chance of miscalculation, this kind of collision incident would happen." Tarriela spoke a few hours after a Chinese fighter jet flew as close as 150 metres to try to drive away a Philippine coast guard plane on a surveillance flight on Wednesday over the Scarborough with invited journalists on board. The Chinese jet carried out dangerous manoeuvrers for about 20 minutes, including flying about 60 metres above the small Philippine aircraft, Tarriela said. The United States has deployed two warships in a disputed South China Sea shoal where two Chinese ships collided earlier in the week while trying to drive away a smaller Philippine ship in a high-seas accident that raised alarms about maritime safety. Both China and the Philippines claim Scarborough Shoal and other outcroppings in the South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also lay overlapping claims in the contested waters. The USS Higgins, a guided missile destroyer, and USS Cincinnati, a littoral combat ship, were shadowed by a Chinese navy ship while sailing about 55km from the Scarborough Shoal. There were no reports of any untoward incident, Philippine coast guard Commodore Jay Tarriela said, citing information from US officials and a Philippine surveillance flight. The US navy has staged what it calls freedom-of-navigation voyages and overflights in the South China Sea for years to challenge China's restrictions and its demand for entry notifications in virtually the entire stretch of the disputed waters that it claims. That has angered China and its forces have had close runs-in with US warships and aircraft on such patrols in international waters and airspace. The deployment happened after US ambassador to the Phillipines MaryKay Carlson on Tuesday condemned "the latest reckless action by China directed against a Philippine vessel" in Scarborough. The rich fishing atoll off the northwestern Philippines has been the scene of increasingly tense confrontations between the Chinese and Philippine coast guard, fishing and other ships in recent years. The Philippines is the oldest treaty ally of the US in Asia. The US has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea. On Monday, a Chinese navy destroyer and a Chinese coast guard ship accidentally collided while trying to block and drive away a smaller Philippine coast guard ship, the BRP Suluan, about 19km from Scarborough. Video footages made public by the Philippine coast guard show the Chinese coast guard ship blasting its powerful water cannon and a number of Chinese personnel standing at the bow shortly before that section was hit by the fast-turning Chinese navy ship. Shortly after the collision, the video shows the heavily shattered bow of the Chinese coast guard ship without the Chinese personnel, who were standing on deck before the crash. The Chinese navy ship sustained deep dents and what appeared to be linear gushes on its hull. Japan, Australia and New Zealand expressed alarm on Wednesday over the dangerous manoeuvres that led to the collision in the busy waters, a key global trade route. "Japan upholds the rule of law and opposes any actions which increase tensions. Our concern goes to the repeated actions in the South China Sea," Japanese ambassador to Manila Endo Kazuya said in a post on X. The Australian embassy in Manila expressed concern "by the dangerous and unprofessional conduct of Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal involving the Philippine Coast Guard," saying in a statement the incident "highlights the need for de-escalation, restraint and respect for international law". "This is a learning experience for the People's Republic of China," Tarriela, the Philippine coast guard commodore, told a news conference in Manila. "For so many years, we have been reminding them to stop dangerous maneuvers, to stop risky blockings, to adhere to the (anti-)collision regulations because if there is a very high chance of miscalculation, this kind of collision incident would happen." Tarriela spoke a few hours after a Chinese fighter jet flew as close as 150 metres to try to drive away a Philippine coast guard plane on a surveillance flight on Wednesday over the Scarborough with invited journalists on board. The Chinese jet carried out dangerous manoeuvrers for about 20 minutes, including flying about 60 metres above the small Philippine aircraft, Tarriela said.
