John Lander
John Lander worked in the China section of the Department of Foreign Affairs in the lead-up to the recognition of the People’s Republic of China in 1972 and several other occasions in the 1970s and 1980s. He was deputy ambassador in Beijing 1974-76 (including a couple of stints as Chargé d’Affaires). He was heavily involved in negotiation of many aspects in the early development of Australia-China relations, especially student/teacher exchange, air traffic agreement and consular relations. He has made numerous visits to China in the years 2000-2019.
John's recent articles
28 November 2024
Australia: The epicentre of US power projection in the Indo Pacific
Australia has willingly become the “epicentre of the projection of US power in the Indo-Pacific”. It does not make Australia safer. It makes Australia the epicentre for any retaliation to that projection of power.
31 August 2024
Keating was wrong. Australia is already the 51st state of the US
Paul Keating is wrong when he says that Anthony Albanese risked making Australia the 51st State of the United States of America. Not so! Australia is already the 51st State of America, in all but name.
27 February 2024
How the Australian government has betrayed the nation
The Australian people have been betrayed by their own Government, morally, legally, economically, financially, militarily and politically.
16 October 2023
Morrisons Taiwan visit designed to goad China into war
The speech by former Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison in Taipei on Wednesday 11 October, 2023, was clearly designed to undermine the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Albanese to Beijing. It continued to drive forward the American objective of goading China into war over Taiwan.
9 June 2023
The Status Quo and Taiwan
Mainstream media frequently describes Taiwan as an island that the PRC claims, but has never ruled. This has given rise to an increasing perception of Taiwan as a separate sovereign entity.
22 May 2023
The debate about Independence for Taiwan
I participated in the drafting and negotiation of the document of recognition of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) and was personally responsible for some of the practical aspects of dismantling the diplomatic representation of Republic of China (ROC - Taiwan) in Canberra. It might be helpful, therefore, if I offered some clarification regarding the One China Policy and the status of Taiwan.
17 March 2023
War mongering and the peace rally
Lest we forget the consequences, today we recall the great lie of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq which led to the smashing of that country and the slaughter of hundreds of thousand of innocent men, women and children.
31 January 2023
The US is preparing Australia to fight its war against China
The United States is not preparing to go to war against China. The United States is preparing Australia to go to war against China.
14 August 2022
Pelosis visit has brought the day of reckoning over Taiwan much closer
Australias most strenuous diplomatic efforts should be directed not at improving relations with China but at urging the US to pursue a different course.
12 June 2022
Is Americas Strategic Ambiguity over Taiwan a thing of the past?
During President Bidens recent visit to Tokyo for the Quad meeting, he said the US would intervene militarily in defence of Taiwan, if China were to attack it.
13 April 2022
NATO - Western colonial shadow looms over Asia again
Making Australia an instrument of US/NATO in pursuit of objectives so consciously eschewed by our near neighbours will ultimately undermine both the security and prosperity of Australia.
16 March 2022
Truth is the first victim in war
Don't believe what you read in the mass media. It is also an instrument of war.
12 January 2022
The China threat: Dutton is dragging Australia into dangerous waters
The Defence Minister is stoking anti-China sentiment in Australia a foolhardy stance that is damaging our economy and putting us at risk of military conflict.
22 November 2021
The most remarkable aspect of Western attacks on China over Xinjiang is the unabashed hypocrisy
The US (abetted by the UK and Australia) in the so-called ''War on Terror'', has killed nearly 1 million Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria and Yemen.
28 October 2021
Having lost Afghanistan, America has a new enemy in China. We blindly follow
Reversing the Morrison governments policy on China is a matter of life or death.