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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Conflict & Security

US and Australia to Deepen Defense Ties as China Expands Military Power

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • The United States and Australia agreed to accelerate military initiatives at Australian bases, improve joint logistics and expand interoperability through exercises.
  • The two countries also discussed shared capabilities for guided weapons and next-generation systems as they seek to strengthen deterrence in the Pacific.
  • Australia hosts U.S. military rotations and participates in the AUKUS pact, which China has criticized as a potential trigger for a regional arms race.

The United States and Australia are moving to deepen their defense partnership as China expands its military reach across the Pacific. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles announced the plans after meeting in Washington on Wednesday.

the gravity of maintaining a favorable balance of power in the region

· Pete HegsethThe U.S. defense secretary described the regional security challenge during his meeting with Australia's defense minister.

Hegseth said Canberra understood “the gravity of maintaining a favorable balance of power in the region.” Marles said the growing American military presence in Australia responded to what he called “the biggest conventional military build-up by any country in the world since the Second World War in the form of China.”

The Pentagon said the two allies would accelerate force posture initiatives at Australian bases, strengthen cooperation on combined logistics and improve their ability to operate together through joint exercises. The arrangements allow U.S. forces to train and store equipment in Australia, including rotating aircraft deployments and logistics support for American vessels.

American force posture in Australia is growing

· Richard MarlesAustralia's defense minister described the expanding U.S. military presence.

Australia does not allow foreign military bases, but it hosts major joint exercises and rotating U.S. Marine deployments in Darwin. The agreement did not clarify whether additional American troops would be permanently or temporarily stationed in Australia. Officials also discussed cooperation on shared guided-weapons capacity and next-generation military capabilities.

the biggest conventional military build-up by any country in the world since the Second World War in the form of China

· Richard MarlesMarles cited China's military expansion as the reason for closer cooperation.

Hegseth described the countries' defense strategies as strongly aligned and urged allies to invest in their own sovereign security. The cooperation also builds on AUKUS, the defense pact with Britain. U.S. defense personnel already work at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia, which is scheduled to host rotating U.S.-commanded submarines from 2027. China has called AUKUS dangerous and warned that it could fuel a regional arms race.

We need to be ensuring that we build deterrence, that we build balance, so that we can provide for the peace and stability of the region in which we live

· Richard MarlesMarles explained the stated purpose of strengthening the alliance.
About this summary

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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