Royal Australian Navy. Source: U.S. Navy
Australian and United States officials have announced this morning their joint decision to increase military cooperation between both nations.
The announcement was made during the first Australia-US Ministerial (AUSMIN) talk since Albanese formed government earlier this year.
This decision will see an increase of US land, sea, and air forces in the Indo-pacific region. This continues the long-running theme in Australia policy, relying on ‘great and powerful friends’.
United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin says the “increased rotational presence of US forces in Australia” will involve “rotations of bomber task forces, fighters, and future rotations of US Navy and US Army capabilities that will also expand our logistics and sustainment cooperation.”
“That will deepen our inter-operability and create more agile and resilient capabilities” he said.
“We’ll also continue to find ways to further integrate our defence industrial bases in the years ahead.”
The Australian and US governments are also leaving room in their military partnership for Japan.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin says, “we agreed to enhance trilateral defence cooperation and invite Japan to integrate into our force posture initiatives in Australia.”
Australian Minister of Defence Richard Marles says, “it is a great outcome of today’s meeting that we can go to Japan at the end of this week with an invitation for Japan to be participating in more exercises with Australia and the United States.”
The potential trilateral partnership is upfolding alongside the current tension between the US and China.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin says “China’s dangerous and coercive actions throughout the Indo-Pacific, including around Taiwan, toward the Pacific island countries and in the East and South China Seas, threaten regional peace and stability.”
It is interesting to note Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles did not mention China throughout the press conference.
It is unclear of China will respond to this announcement.
