As the nations strengthened their alliances in an effort to challenge China’s military might, Australia, Japan, and the US pledged on Sunday to work together more closely on military training.
On Sunday, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japan’s Defence Minister Gen. Nakatani met with Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles for the first-ever trilateral ministers’ meeting in Australia.
The new deal calls for the regular deployment of Japan’s Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, an elite marine unit, to Darwin to work and drill alongside US and Australian personnel.
“It is a very important statement to the region and to the world about the commitment that our three countries have in working with each other,” Marles said.
“This is going to build interoperability between our three countries.”
According to Austin, the collaboration will “advance our goals for a secure and peaceful Indo Pacific” by expanding intelligence “surveillance and reconnaissance activities” among the three nations.
“I am proud of the work my office has done to “strengthen ties” in the region and collaborate with “countries who share the vision of a free and open Indo Pacific,” the US defence chief said.
In an effort to counter the power of a growing China, Canberra has strengthened its military and grown closer to its long-time partner, the United States.
In a tripartite agreement with the United States and Britain known as AUKUS, Australia intends to deploy stealthy nuclear-powered submarines in addition to quickly expanding its surface force.
Some fear US President-elect Donald Trump could jettison or try to rewrite the pact, returning to his “America first” style of foreign policy.
But Australian officials said this month they have a “great deal of confidence” that the pact will remain.
*
Email *
Website
