The only thing stopping a Chinese takeover of Aus, which solves all of China's problems, is that Australia is a client state of the US.
I think the US is going to find itself overextended and cut you lose in the next 10 years unless they have a practical reason not to. If Aus doesn't nuke up and play the international game for real it's toast. The time for hiding in America's pocket is drawing to a close.
China isn’t invading us or taking us over down here.
The answer is this —> sanctions
China imports the vast majority of energy and food. If they do anything at all they will be sanctioned to death instantly. No energy. No food. They aren’t going to be able to move. China is still locking down over Covid FFS, hardly a country about to invade another country.
US, UK, OZ, Japan, we are all booming with economic restructuring to bring most things back home while also creating new trade alliances/agreements between each other.
The Russia war gave reason for everybody to rebuild energy. Sanctions on China will give reason for everybody to rebuild production.