China's leaders have growing concerns that the country's rapidly changing population could turn on the Communist Party under Xi Jinping. The Chinese Communist Party recently celebrated the centenary of the movement but according to retired Australian Army Commander Major-General Gus McLachlan, the Chinese Government has a "voracious need" to secure natural resources in order to fuel the needs of an increasingly demanding middle-class.

       Mr McLachlan told Sky News Australia: "I think we are in competition.

       "We are in fierce competition and again a lot of that is fairly transparent.

       "If you zoom out of the China problem, China has a voracious need for resources.

       "They have an emerging middle-class on a scale perhaps unprecedented in history."

       "The leadership in China fear the unsettled nature of their own population far more than they do external forces," he added.

       "Clearly, they are seeking to expand their access to resources."

       It comes as tensions between the US and China are reported to have pushed Asian states into developing ever more powerful missiles in a dangerous regional arms race.

       "South Korea, North Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Austalia all have missiles that have a strike range between 800 and 2000km.

       "Some of America's allies are now developing their own arsenals to reduce the risk of supply chains being cut off in a time of war.

       "Australia will spend $100 billion over 20 years to develop advanced missiles."

       "Japan has spent millions on long-range air-launched weapons," continued Ms Cohen.

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       "Tokyo is developing a new version of a truck-mounted anti-ship missile, the Type 12 has an expected range of 1000km.

       "But is it Taiwan that faces the greatest threat from Beijing, Xi Jinping has not ruled out the use of force option to unify Taiwan with the mainland.

       "While Taiwan has not publically announced its ballistic missile programme, analysts say Taipei is developing cruise missiles such as the Yun Feng which could strike as far as Beijing."

       She added: "Other nations in south and southeast Asia are also boosting their arsenals making the entire region a powder keg."