China's parade of military might raises big questions about the AUKUS muddle

Two developments this week that emerged separate to, but in the wake of, the Military Might Spectacular that paraded through Beijing, reveal as much about a "new world order" as goosestepping Chinese soldiers and an endless sea of missiles and other weaponry.

The first development was the revelation by the Financial Times that Pentagon officials had informed European diplomats last week that the US would no longer fund programs that train and equip militaries in eastern European countries that would be on the frontline of any conflict with Russia.

Current funding will run out in September next year. A White House official said the move aligned with Donald Trump's efforts to "re-evaluate and realign" foreign aid.

The second development, also reported in the FT, was that US and Taiwanese