Warning to Australia over fears China's military actions could trigger 'nuclear cascade'
Alarm bells are ringing over the Chinese-led military build up taking place in Australia's region, with fears a "nuclear cascade" could unfold as more nations seek to obtain weapons of mass destruction. Australia's Defence Minister has warned about an Indo-Pacific arms race, but at the same time has signalled Australia preparedness to increase military spending.
Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles has warned of the developing dynamic of China's arms build up and Russia's strategic ties with North Korea, saying the arms control framework previously developed by Western allies to combat nuclear proliferation during the Cold War might not be enough to meet today's challenges.
The US called on Australia to increase defence spending as leaders met over the weekend at Asia's top security summit in Singapore.
Mr Marles noted that Australia's defence budget will rise to about 2.3 per cent of GDP within the decade, from the two per cent it currently hovers at, saying the planned expansion represented the "single biggest peacetime increase in defence expenditure in Australia's history".
"So we are beginning this journey," he said.
The former Fox News host and now US Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has personified the changing nature of the White House after the re-election of Donald Trump, but his message on China has been broadly the same to his predecessor, says Ely Ratner, the former Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs under the Biden administration.
But he warned of a growing threat to stability in the region.
"I think it is very complicated by the fact that China is undergoing the largest peacetime military build up in history," he told ABC radio on Monday.
"They haven't explained why they think they need such a large arsenal of nuclear weapons and they're putting real pressure on other countries both in the region and in the world when it comes to nuclear weapons. It is quite a destabilising military build up we're seeing from China.
He said the challenge is not just about how to manage nuclear armed nations like India and Pakistan which have been involved in recent skirmishes, but how to stop more nations feeling like they need to acquire them, leading to "the potential of nuclear cascades".
"If China grows its nuclear arsenal to such a size that countries like South Korea … and then potentially others start thinking they might need their own nuclear weapons, then we're in a much more dangerous world," he warned this morning.
When asked if allies like Australia could trust the Trump administration is committed to defence in the broader Indo-Pacific region, Mr Ratner said "I think for the time being the broad answer is yes".
He added that he didn't believe China was more likely to invade Taiwan due to President Trump being in office, saying the Asian giant was in a "wait and see mode".
Speaking at the summit on Saturday Mr Hegseth called on allies in the region to share the burden of deterrence by upgrading their own defences.
"There's no reason to sugar coat it," he told the Shangri-La Dialogue. "The threat China poses is real, and it could be imminent", suggesting an invasion could take place within the next two years.
Responding to questions from reporters on Sunday, Mr Albanese said Australia's position on Taiwan was "very clear" and included a bipartisan stance to support the status quo.
China views Taiwan as its own territory, and slammed the US as the biggest "troublemaker for regional peace and stability".
with AAP
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The non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) market in Asia-Pacific is expanding quickly due to factors including growing mother age, improved genetic testing technology, and growing awareness of prenatal care. Asia-Pacific, one of the most populated and varied regions, is home to nations with a range of socioeconomic backgrounds and healthcare infrastructure levels. This discrepancy has made NIPT adoption both difficult and possible. NIPT is becoming a common component of prenatal treatment in nations with highly developed healthcare systems, such as South Korea, Singapore, and Japan, especially for high-risk pregnancies. Meanwhile, as healthcare access improves and more women look for safer, more accurate screening alternatives, the demand for NIPT is rising quickly in emerging areas like China, India, and Southeast Asia. The Asia-Pacific region's more developed nations have robust healthcare systems, supportive governments, and high public awareness, all of which contribute to the NIPT industry. Due to its integration into national screening programs for high-risk pregnancies, NIPT is widely available and reasonably priced. Effective use of NIPT to identify chromosomal abnormalities and guide pregnancy treatment is ensured by the availability of qualified genetic counselors and established medical procedures. Technological advancements and the accessibility of sophisticated screening techniques in these areas further propel market growth. Less developed regions of the Asia-Pacific still face difficulties, nevertheless. NIPT is still a luxury service that is expensive and scarce in nations with inadequate healthcare resources or where healthcare systems are still developing. Barriers to broader acceptability also include ethical issues about genetic screening and cultural views on prenatal testing. 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Growth Drivers for the Asia-Pacific Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing Market Advancements in Genetic Testing Technology Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is now much more accurate, quick, and affordable because to developments in genetic testing technology, especially next-generation sequencing (NGS) and bioinformatics. Rapid fetal DNA analysis from maternal blood samples is made possible by NGS, which improves the test's sensitivity and specificity, particularly for identifying chromosomal disorders like Down syndrome. Advances in bioinformatics enable the rapid processing of enormous volumes of genetic data, cutting down on testing expenses and time. Because of these technical developments, NIPT is now more widely available to pregnant mothers in both developed and growing Asia-Pacific economies. As a result, NIPT is becoming more widely used worldwide, providing safer and more precise prenatal screening alternatives. 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Application9.1 Down Syndrome (trisomy 21)9.2 Edwards Syndrome (trisomy 18)9.3 Patau Syndrome (trisomy 13)9.4 Turner Syndrome9.5 Other Applications10. End User10.1 Hospitals10.2 Diagnostic Labs11. Porter's Five Analysis11.1 Bargaining Power of Buyers11.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers11.3 Degree of Rivalry11.4 Threat of New Entrants11.5 Threat of Substitutes12. SWOT Analysis12.1 Strength12.2 Weakness12.3 Opportunity12.4 Threat13. Key Players Analysis13.1 Eurofins Scientific13.1.1 Overview13.1.2 Key Persons13.1.3 Recent Development & Strategies13.1.4 Financial Insight13.2 F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.13.3 Invitae Corporation13.4 Illumina Inc.13.5 Natera Inc.13.6 Centogene N.V.13.7 Qiagen For more information about this report visit About is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Asia-Pacific Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing Market CONTACT: CONTACT: Laura Wood,Senior Press Manager press@ For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./ CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
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