US Boosts Military Presence in Australia to Counter China's "Coercive" Behavior
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Loading... - Kexin Guan
- 07 Aug 2024
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In a move to strengthen their alliance and counter China's growing military presence in the region, the United States and Australia have announced plans to increase the US military presence in Australia. The two countries will also begin co-manufacturing guided weapons, including missiles, to boost supplies for allies in the region.
The announcement came after the annual AUSMIN talks in Annapolis, Maryland, where US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles discussed shared security challenges, including China's "coercive behavior" in the region.
The US will increase its rotational forces in Australia, including bomber aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft, and reconnaissance aircraft. This will enable more frequent deployments and exercises in the region, contributing to deterrence and stability.
Australia will begin co-manufacturing guided missiles with the US next year, including the guided multiple launch rocket systems (GMLRS) used in Ukraine. The country is also testing a hypersonic attack cruise missile (HACM) with the US, which it may consider fielding as its first hypersonic weapon for fighter jets.
The two countries are working to upgrade air bases in northern and western Australia, which are closest to potential flashpoints with China in the South China Sea. The US is building facilities for its marines and visiting air squadrons within Australian bases. The joint statement expressed concern over China's military activity around Taiwan, its excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea, and its "dangerous and escalatory behavior" toward Philippine vessels lawfully operating within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
China recently carried out a combat patrol near Scarborough Shoal, an area claimed by the Philippines, to test its "strike capabilities." Beijing has continued to press its claims to almost the entire South China Sea, despite an international tribunal ruling in 2016 that its assertion has no legal basis.
The increased US military presence in Australia and the co-manufacturing of guided weapons are seen as a response to China's growing military presence in the region. The move is expected to contribute to deterrence and stability in the region, and to reassure allies of the US and Australia's commitment to regional security. The joint statement also mentioned Australia's strategic Indian Ocean territory, Cocos Islands, for the first time, saying the US welcomed Australia's planned infrastructure upgrades there. The Cocos Islands are key to Australia's maritime surveillance operations in the Indian Ocean, where China is increasing submarine activity.
