Melbourne, Aug 22: China’s sabre-rattling around Taiwan underlines the need for Australia to be prepared for conflict in the South China Sea. With its growing navy and air force, and the bases it has built throughout the area, China is increasingly capable of disrupting shipping lanes crucial to Australia’s exports and imports. Of particular concern is our reliance on liquid fuels imported via South China Sea shipping routes. This reliance has become more pronounced over the past few decades as […]
It builds on broader analyses of supply-chain vulnerabilities, such as the Department of Energy and the Environment s 2019 interim Liquid Fuel Security Review and the Productivity Commission s 2021 report spurred by import shortages arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. South China Sea Conflict Threatens 90% of Australia s Fuel Imports: Study.