Indeed, why would China bring a massive armada to conquer Australia, famously known for being checks notes over 2/3 worthless desert and what? 1k km away from literally everything else that matters?
Also based answer. Stupid reporter: "China is building ships is that not provocation?"
Gee moron what is the US doing then? Never mind everyone else or is China the only ones not allowed to have a military? He should have pointed out all the US bases around the pacific including the occupied Japan/Korean.
Both those countries have regular protests against these bases and yet having them against the will of the natives is not provocation lol.
Anyway Australia is shitty US vassal so none of this is surprising.
Yes that is also another elephant in the room.
Lets assume China is a threat. Here comes the Australian fucking navy to hold off against the #1 economy and largerst/second-largest navy in the world with currently 3 super carriers, thousands of fighters, nukes, hypersonic missiles yadayada.
Of course the obsolete second hand US Navy subs are all that is going to take defend against them. Its the Russian shovels all over again. I could begin to see an argument if the sub deal was actualy a couple of US carriers, but this whole story is just embarrassing.
Also they are only going to receive the subs after 2030.