NEWS ARTICLE Tensions Palpable in the Pacific

The True Republic -- April 20th, 2017

Tensions between Australia and China are at a recent high in the aftermath of the Chinese surprise attack in the Horizon Islands last year. The incident led to the death of 132 Australian soldiers participating in RIMPAC on the islands at the time, while significant material losses were sustained to both the civilian infrastructure and military forces involved. Beijing has pegged Lieutenant General Shoushan as a rogue general and traitor, claiming no part in the attacks.

Semi-formal negotiations between the Australian Foreign Ministry and China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs for reparations have reached a new low. China is refusing to provide any sort of remuneration for the incident. Damage done to civilian infrastructure in the island nation is being repaired with the help of the UN Crisis Response Teams and the support of US troops still deployed in the archipelago.

The Chinese government has been pressured by the international community to provide answers for the actions of the rogue army, but Beijing has refused to accept any fault in the incident. It further claims that it does not have to provide a detailed explanation about what happened in the Horizon Islands, as neither the Party nor the Central Military Commission endorsed the actions taken by Lieutenant General Shoushan, who has been reported as missing since the fighting stopped. China has however vowed to implement policies within its military to prevent such occurrences from happening in the future, and to prosecute Shoushan if he returns to China.

Multiple Asian countries have alienated themselves from China, but few have imposed economic sanctions on the Asian super-power. Australia, New Zealand and many other countries have pondered the idea. Meanwhile, public outrage has led to many boycotts of Chinese products and the stocks have dipped for many Chinese companies who operate internationally.

The tensions in a post-RIMPAC attack Asia have led to requests for international help from Vietnam, Philippines and Taiwan to oppose China’s aggressive push for a larger Exclusive Economic Zone in the China Sea. Given the current tensions in the region, these calls for help will likely go unanswered by the powers that be, fearing another skirmish or a economic shakeup.

The area in dispute. China claims the sea based on a broad historical "nine dash line" published in the aftermath of World War II.

The US also sustained significant losses in the short war. The Department of Defense has announced that part of the Pacific Fleet will continue with joint naval exercises with allies in the northeastern Coral Sea in the coming weeks, as planned prior to the surprise attack.

Henry Thompson, for The True Republic

This article is a work of fiction, intended to support the storyline of the 3d MRB Arma 3 Realism unit.