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Australian 'star wars' condemned
By Grant Holloway, CNN Sydney
CANBERRA, Australia (CNN) -- Australia's decision to examine possible involvement in the controversial U.S. missile shield defense system has drawn sharp criticism from China. In a strategic defense review released on Wednesday, the Australian government said threats from rogue states and terrorist groups required a rebalancing of priorities. This included possibly contributing to the United States' missile shield program to help protect Australia from missile attacks from countries such as North Korea. But a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Canberra slammed the proposal Thursday, saying the development of the so-called "star wars" shield would "undermine the global strategic balance and lead to a new run of the arms race". "It will have widespread and profound negative influence on our peace and security and the international process of disarmament and arms control, and on the international efforts to prevent proliferation," spokesman Feng Tie told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "So all of this upsets the confidence-building efforts in the region and adds to the uncertainties in the regional security." In New Zealand, Prime Minister Helen Clark also expressed disquiet about Australia's stance. She said through a spokeswoman that New Zealand had always been concerned that missile-shield systems could encourage the proliferation of nuclear weapons, the New Zealand Herald newspaper reported. Beijing fears the U.S. system will negate its own modest nuclear arsenal and that a regional version, known as "theater missile defense" (TMD), will be used to shield Taiwan and embolden pro-independence forces there. Australia's close military ties with the United States have caused ructions with China in the past, potentially jeopardizing the burgeoning trade relations between the two nations.
But in May last year China and Australia agreed to revive annual defense talks which had fallen into disuse two years previously because of tensions over Taiwan. Australian Prime Minister John Howard on Friday defended his government's stance, saying that recent developments in North Korea made such moves necessary. "What you do in a situation like this is you look at all options," he told radio listeners. "And while I'm prime minister of this country I will do everything I can to protect and defend it and I'll do everything I can to examine options that aid the defense and the protection of Australia." Terror profileThose options include the possible basing of U.S. missiles on Australian soil and greater use of the joint Australia-U.S. space-tracking facility, Pine Gap, in central Australia. This has raised fears that Australia's profile as a target for terrorist and military attack will be raised. Australia has already contributed around 2,000 troops, fighter jets, navy frigates and other military equipment to the U.S.-led build-up of forces in the Persian Gulf ahead of a possible attack on Iraq. Canberra also contributed troops to the war in Afghanistan, a situation which al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden says resulted in Australians being the key target of the October 12 Bali terrorist blast. More than 200 people died in that attack, including 88 Australians. The cost of joining the missile shield plan has also been attacked. Opposition Labor leader Simon Crean said Thursday Australia could not afford to join the proposal, claiming that costs would run to $4.8 billion (A$8 billion) a year.
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