Washington-Canberra defense ties threaten regional stability: Experts

Australia and the United States will strengthen defense ties in a move that could expand the US military presence in Australia, a development experts warn could undermine regional peace and stability.

After meeting US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles told reporters on Wednesday that the "American force posture in Australia is growing" across every domain.

The US-Australia Force Posture Initiatives allow US forces to train and store equipment in Australia, including through rotating aircraft deployments and logistics support for US vessels.

Marles did not say whether the expanded cooperation would mean more US troops being stationed in Australia, but said further details would be provided at the next meeting of the two countries' defense ministers later this year.

Defense cooperation also includes AUKUS, the trilateral security pact among Australia, the US and the United Kingdom. Some US defense personnel are already working at HMAS Stirling naval base on Australia's west coast, which will house four US Virginia-class submarines from next year.

Hegseth said there was "strong alignment" between the two countries' defense strategies and stressed the importance of allies investing in their own sovereign security to contribute to collective defense.

Australia and the US have announced a combined $580 million in funding for Pacific Island nations, Reuters reported.

Chen Hong, director of the East China Normal University's Australian Studies Center in Shanghai, told China Daily that the US is deepening military cooperation with Australia to further integrate the country into its military architecture in the western Pacific.

The US seeks to leverage Australia's strategic location, ports, airfields and military training facilities, as well as its relatively secure rear area, to facilitate troop rotations and strengthen logistical support for US forces, Chen said.

"This indicates that within the US alliance system, Australia is evolving from a traditional ally into a strategic-depth and forward-operating platform for US forces. Its infrastructure and industrial capacity can increasingly be integrated into the US military supply chain and converted into capabilities that support US military operations," he said.

Potential risk

"Closer US-Australia military cooperation appears to strengthen Washington's security commitments to Canberra," Chen said. "In practice, however, it also elevates Australia's role in the US military posture in the region, increasing the risk that Australia could become involved in military conflicts or face military countermeasures."

AUKUS has expanded beyond its initial focus on nuclear-powered submarines to encompass broader cooperation in advanced military capabilities, including AI and autonomous systems, laying the foundation for deeper integration of the three countries' military capabilities, he said.

However, Daryl Guppy, an international financial technical analyst and former national board member of the Australia China Business Council, said Canberra's growing involvement in supply, maintenance and nuclear training sends a clear message that it is positioning itself for bloc confrontation.

AUKUS has a broader, multi-domain scope that includes rearming and upgrading the Australian military so its forces can serve as part of US military deployments, Guppy said. This does not enhance regional security as it rests on the assumption that regional conflict is inevitable whenever US interests are threatened, he said.

"The danger of escalation in the region is increasing. Closer operational coordination between Australia and the US, along with the buildup of weaponry and supplies, creates a significant military 'threat' in the region. This represents an extension of US hegemony," he said.

Both experts said attempts by the US and Australia to sensationalize China's normal cooperation with Pacific Island nations reflect a deep-rooted Cold War mentality.

"By providing financial support to Pacific Island nations, the US and Australia have sought to mask their strategic competition as exclusive partnerships aimed at promoting development and security, forcing these countries to take sides," Chen said.

Guppy said Australia is adopting a colonial approach by seeking to undermine Pacific Island nations' sovereign ability to formulate and pursue their own foreign policies.

He warned that the so-called compacts of free association, which establish close political, economic and security ties between the US and Pacific Island countries, could constrain their sovereignty, including their right to negotiate trade agreements and pursue other independent arrangements.

Agencies contributed to this story.

liujianqiao@chinadaily.com.cn