Are we starting to see the real China, or are we still working out who the real China is?

There is not one shadow of a doubt in pretty much anyone’s mind that Australia is not dumping wine. Why would they, for what purpose?

And there is not one shadow of a doubt in pretty much anyone’s mind that what the Chinese stuck on social media with the soldier the knife and the child is not diplomacy of any acceptable kind.

What we have seen from China these past few weeks is in direct contrast to the China I think they want the world to see, which is a nation that has worked out that dealing with the world is better than not dealing with it.

The nations that don’t deal with the world don’t do well. Russia might be a good example.

So yes they’re communist, which doesn’t dove tail with a lot of the world, but they’re big, they want to be bigger, they want to engage.

And by in large the world has bought into this and most of us have had a good time as a result.

Our free trade deal is worth a fortune. Many billions of dollars more than even the most optimistic of forecasts predicted all those years ago.

But with the success has come the problem: we’re stuck. Certainly Australia is stuck.

The cold hard truth is the world is beholden to China, individually country by country they’ve stitched us up.

Belt and Road and providing funding and infrastructure in places, especially places like Africa that could never have afforded it.

Zambia is in the middle of defaulting. The first Covid default; who do they owe a fortune to? China. What do you reckon China wants for the default? You watch.

The pacific has been the recipient of many billions, which is ironic. I thought the PM this week thanked Winston at that farewell for the pacific reset.

The reset was a half decent idea, but to think we can buy influence from small island nations over China is delusional.

America can stand up to China and has, but to no real avail it’s a tit for tat shambles.

A country the size of Australia needs the world on its side over their current predicament, but I think what they’ll find out, is there will be plenty of supportive words, but not a lot of follow through. Why? Self-interest.

China are so big, we are so reliant, I suspect no matter what you say, what you’d like to happen, the horse has bolted.

They got us by the gonads and they know it. The question is was that the plan all along and we got suckered by it.