The United States and Australia will deepen their military ties after reaching an agreement that expands their military cooperation as both countries work to deter China’s growing influence and territorial claims in the western Pacific.
The agreements were announced following an annual meeting of the U.S. Defense Secretary and Secretary of State with their Australian counterparts, held this year in Brisbane, Australia.
The agreement will see an increased American rotational presence in Australia to include frequent U.S. submarine visits to a base in western Australia, more U.S. access to airbases in northern and western Australia, increased cooperation between both countries in space, speeding up efforts for Australia to develop its own guided missile production capability and working to establish deeper security relationships with other countries in the region – most notably Japan.
“All of us have felt that the alliance has never been in better shape than it is right now,” Richard Marles, Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, said at a news conference held after Saturday’s meetings.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong called the U.S. a “vital ally,” adding “It is our closest global partner; our closest strategic partner” and that recent meetings with their American counterparts have been about “operationalizing the alliance in order to ensure peace, stability, and order.”
Appearing at the same news conference Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed that both nations are focused on maintaining stability and security in the region which is being threatened by China.
“Our two countries are defending the international rules based order, which has underwritten peace and security for decades, and which ensures that each country can make its own sovereign decisions free from any coercion,” said Blinken who described China’s destabilizing actions in the South China Sea and towards Taiwan.
“The results of today’s discussions represent yet another major step for our alliance as we work together to enhance stability and deterrence in the region,” said Austin.
That deterrence capability will become more visible as the U.S. gains access to more bases in Australia that will build upon the the rotational U.S. Marine rotational training presence in Darwin, located in far northern Australia, that has been operating there for the last decade.
Under the new agreement the U.S. will gain access to two more airbases in that part of Australia and another base in southeastern Australia where humanitarian supplies that could be used for disaster relief in the South Pacific region and will be pre-positioned.