The trouble with containing China

China has the world's biggest, most diversified manufacturing base

The Cold War (1945-1991), was “cold” only in comparison to the Second World War. The “hotter” events like Vietnam and Korea racked up “only” about 4 million dead. The dissolution of the Soviet Union led to a phase of unipolar American dominance. That has ended, with China mounting a robust challenge with its “wolf-warrior” diplomacy and the vastly ambitious One Belt One Road initiative and String of Pearls.

The new alliance between Australia, the UK and the US, is designed to contain The People’s Republic. It is analogous to the standoff between the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and the Warsaw Pact.