I also believe that an even bigger risk may come from a miscalculation to do with China's actions on the South China Sea. There is talk that China may shortly declare an Air Defence Identification Zone, a further step to them after setting up 2 Administrative Zones recently, cementing their illegal claim under previous UNCLOS determinations, to the South China Sea via their nine-dash border line. These actions have frightened Australia this month into upping their 10 year defence budgets by 40% ! - and they have announced they are buying long range Air, Sea and Ground launched missiles off the US Navy initially to extend their offensive capability. NZ could be drawn into a war against China at almost any time with the tensions between China and the US rapidly escalating. Of course NZ is basically defenceless with no Air Strike Wing and only 2 frigates, poorly armed and basically cannon fodder in a naval contest. Of course we would be in a US or Australian led squadron but that is small comfort.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12344494
https://asiatimes.com/2020/07/us-china-inch-closer-towards-a-conflict-at-sea/
https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/au...nce%20paradigm
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