Link to article:
https://apnews.com/article/australia-china-diver-injured-sonar-navy-97cc407a7f627a62f94ecc9c72519c5f
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released a statement condemning China over a destroyer’s use of sonar that injured an Australian diver. Albanese claimed that the Chinese destroyer used sonar close to an Australian frigate and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles voiced his concerns over the unprofessional conduct of the destroyer. China’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian denied the allegations, claiming that the destroyer had been following regulations and maintained a safe distance. Albanese spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco at an Asia-Pacific leaders summit but did not share if the sonar incident was included in the discussion. The Australian Prime Minister has received criticism over his handling of the incident but stated that he has voiced his concerns to China through appropriate channels and clarified that the unprofessional conduct of Chinese forces has damaged Australia and China’s relationship. The United States and Canadian militaries have both spoken out about the dangerous actions of the Chinese military in the past.
Alabanese’s criticism of China over use of sonar that led to an Australian diver’s injury is important because it shows that Australia is willing to protect its people from the misconduct of the Chinese military. This event may be a catalyst for other countries continuing to speak out about the Chinese military, like the United States and Canada. Sonar pulses are known to be damaging and the Australian public is outraged by the incident and have criticized Albanese’s response to it which may result in him losing favor in Australia. Australia’s accusations against China are hurting the relationship between Australia and China because China is continuing to persist that the claims are false. If any future incidents of the Chinese military using unsafe practices occur then Australia is likely to take further action to try and impose restrictions on the Chinese military’s operations near Australia.
The sonar incident connects to class by demonstrating the negative effects that military use can have on diplomacy and how it can lead to conflicts. The incident also ties into the clash of civilizations theory coined by Huntington that states that the world is categorized in nine civilizations and that most conflicts are driven because of the fault lines between those civilizations. This theory would fit into the scenario because Australia and China are involved which are both from different civilizations (Western and Sinic) that have caused them to develop very different identities. This theory also explains the grouping of countries which have expressed issues with the Chinese military which are Australia, Canada, and the United States who all belong to the Western civilizations.