Chinese navy exercises show why we must boost our defences now

Increasing our defence capability by purchasing 28 more F-35 strike fighter jets within five years makes sense as controlling the air space and having a long-range offensive strike capacity is critical to our wider defence strategy. Thankfully, the lead time for such acquisition is half that of commissioning surface ships and one quarter of that for submarines.

We must, however, start building both these capabilities today, not next week, next month or next year. Peter Dutton’s commitment of $3bn is a worthy start to addressing our grossly underfunded defence budget but it needs much more than this if we’re going to build a credible ADF. Defence must be on the table as a key election issue.

China has given us a very good reason for it to be so. Finding the budget offsets should not be all that difficult when we look at the immense waste in worthless other failed big-spend programs in several areas. We just need political leadership with the courage to trim the fat.

John George, Terrigal, NSW

The lack of two naval replenishment ships exposes our vulnerability to the Chinese navy. Beijing now knows the capability limits placed on the fleet when it comes to monitoring our entire coastline and its contiguous seas.

In projecting regional power, the ADF is also restricted by its reach because of a lack of fuel at sea. Warships have an insatiable need for oil, not always being able to rely on available resourcing at distant land bases, to conduct and enforce their tasking (“China’s lap of Australia to test the navy’s stamina”, 1-2/3). China’s latest foray is a psychological feint to manipulate gaps in our national defence strategy.

Mike Fogarty, Weston, ACT

The PM’s conflicting explanations of the live-firing exercises by Chinese warships in the Tasman Sea give rise for real concern about his ability to grasp the facts and respond appropriately. From the outset Albanese did not appear to know what had happened nor when or where.

His inadequate attempts to explain events led to further confusion. One of his many media managers should explain to him that his ability to tie himself up in knots is not seen as a virtue where matters of national security are concerned.

Tim Trotter, Brisbane, Qld

Few people will believe there’s a correlation between Chinese warships currently circumnavigating Australia and President Trump’s treatment of Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, but there is.

Trump has realised for a long time what many like PM Albanese fail to recognise, namely the enormity of the Chinese nuclear arsenal and the threat it poses to the free world. Trump also realises that geographically Russia has a foot in both worlds, West and East. If Russia goes the way of China and North Korea the West has a real problem, but if Russia throws its lot in with the West then China is stymied for at least the time being.

Trump, of all Western world leaders, has a good relationship with Vladimir Putin, and knows that settling this Ukraine conflict with Putin the slight winner helps further his influence with the Russians and thereby further isolating China.

It’s slightly amusing to think that Hunter Biden’s laptop may have eventually done some good in bringing Trump and Putin together.

Paul Haege, Darling Point, NSW

The Chinese warships currently circumnavigating Australia should send alarming signals to every Australian citizen about China’s capability. As we face the largest threat to national security since the end of World War II, we have the weakest defence force since the end of World War II. We should look closely at the Finnish model of defence where every male over the age of 18 is required to attend national military service; 27,000 members of the Finnish army are trained annually, providing a strength of 180,000 members. National military service is politically unpopular. Its opponents will try to link it to conscription and the Vietnam War. But we must somehow overcome this perception and try to understand that this is the only way to prevent Chinese aggression through effective deterrence.

The Chinese warships did not circumnavigate Australia because it seemed like a fun thing to do. They were sending a message.

Kernin Lambert, Wattle Grove, NSW