Why China's trade aggression has Sun Tzu spinning in his grave

China is acting with impulsive, ill-considered aggression towards Australia, not just to punish Australia for its recalcitrant behaviour but to send a message to the rest of the Indo-Pacific region – and beyond – that unless governments accommodate the broad direction of China’s policy, they will be severely punished.

Governments are expected to discuss differences and negotiate outcomes, not engage in brutal aggression of the kind we have seen from China towards Australia over the past few months.

So what Beijing has done through its aggression towards Australia is to remind the rest of the region that becoming too dependent economically on China is a dangerous place to be.

The wolf warrior denunciations of Australia and its leaders by China’s diplomats has been astonishing.

In contrast to China’s aggression, Australian leaders have been restrained in their language and patient in their responses.

He made the entirely appropriate comment that Australia did not support the containment of China and looked to engage in dialogue with its leaders so differences could be understood and even resolved.

First, other countries have indeed been warned that China will treat them with the same aggression should they in some way transgress and incur the wrath of the Communist leaders in Beijing.

Throughout the Indo-Pacific region, China’s aggression has aroused concern that China aspires to dominate the geopolitics of the region through economic bullying.

So what Beijing has done through its aggression towards Australia is to remind the rest of the region, and indeed many countries beyond, that becoming too dependent economically on China is a dangerous place to be.

As countries divert their trade and their investment away from China – and that is the consequence of China’s aggression – that will not be good for China and its economy.

Secondly, China’s aggression towards Australia has had the effect of corralling other regional countries and particularly liberal democracies to balance China’s power.

It has united them not in a policy of containment of China but of balancing China’s power.