Netherlands urges Australia to take China threat ‘seriously’ amid war-games

The chief of a defence force visiting for war games is calling for Australia to boost military spending, warning China poses a serious threat.

Australia has been warned to take China’s military build-up “seriously”, with the threat of Beijing to the Indo-Pacific region being likened to the danger Russia poses to Europe.

The Prime Minister spent much of last week touting Australia’s trade, tourism and research offerings in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu.

Securing peace through economic interdependence was a strategy the EU used with Russia following the collapse of the Soviet Union – a ploy that ultimately came back to bite the bloc when Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine.

General Onno Eichelsheim is in Australia for Talisman Sabre – annual war games hosted by the Australian Defence Force, and said the country should “get ready for something that you hope will never happen”.

Speaking to the ABC, General Eichelsheim said Australia should not ignore the parallels between China and Russia.

Dutch defence chief Onno Eichelsheim is urging Australia to boost its military spending. Picture: Dutch Ministry of Defence / Handout

“You should look at the facts that are around you … if Russia tells us that they want to have more, more influence, than take that seriously,” he said.

“And if you see in this case in this region, China building up, take it seriously and get ready for something that you hope will never happen.

“If you prepare for war, you can avoid war. And that’s how we look at it.”

During a press conference in China, NewsWire put to Mr Albanese that there were similarities between his approach to managing the relationship with Beijing and Europe’s pre-Ukraine war approach to managing its relationship with Moscow.

He denied there was.

“Our relationship is very different,” Mr Albanese said.

“And I don’t think you can translate one thing across some other part of the world of which Australia is not a participant.”

The Trump administration has called on the Albanese government to hike defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP, warning of an “imminent” threat to the Indo-Pacific.

The concern is driven by China’s constant war drills around Taiwan and rapid military build-up, including a massive expansion of its atomic arsenal.

NewsWire asked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese if he was concerned China posed a similar threat to China as Russia did to the EU. Picture: Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer / NewsWire

As of mid-2024, China’s operational nuclear warheads exceeded 600, according to the US Department of Defense.

That was nearly triple what the country was estimated to have in 2020.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles has said build up was sparking “security anxiety” in Australia.

But Mr Albanese and his government have been firm to resist calls, both domestic and international, to boost the Australian Defence Force’s budget.

General Eichelsheim, whose country recently agreed to hike defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP in line with most of NATO, said a GDP percentage was not the only important measure, but that Australia would need to do more one way or another.

“It’s not about the percentage, it’s about the capabilities,” he said.

“But inevitably, I think Australia has to increase its capabilities as well, if you look at the region, and the build-up in this case of China.

“Also, if they need to help out Europe, which (Australia is) actually already doing – if you look at the war in Ukraine, and supporting us there.”