Top U.S. and Australian officials have concluded the latest AUSMIN meeting with the signing of multiple agreements and pledged to up U.S. military rotations down under.
The four key officials responsible for the U.S.-Australia partnership include Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles.
In a joint statement, they issued a stark warning that Beijing’s “destabilising actions including in the South China Sea and East China Sea increase tensions and undermine peace and stability” in the region.
Greater US Military Activity in Australia
The statement also signalled a greater U.S. military involvement on Australian soil, referring to “more frequent rotational deployments to Australia across air, land, and maritime domains, including across northern Australia” and “frequent rotations of bombers, fighter aircraft, and maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, building on previous rotations at RAAF Bases Amberley, Darwin, and Tindal.”This was to enhance deterrence and interoperability between the two nations defence forces in the Indo-Pacific region.
A “proof of principle prepositioning” of U.S. Army equipment and material at Albury-Wodonga has proved successful, and as a result, the armed forces of both countries intend to assess the site for long-term use. Work is also underway to define the requirements for an “enduring logistics support area in Queensland.”
Upgrades are also taking place at key Australian bases, including RAAF Darwin and Tindal, and other bases at Curtin, Learmonth, and Scherger may also be improved. Australia also plans to enhance infrastructure at its base in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, a move which is supported by the United States.
Beijing’s Influence
The spectre of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) loomed over the joint statement, with the secretaries and ministers expressing grave concerns over the regime’s coercive actions.The officials condemned Beijing’s recent “dangerous and escalatory behaviour toward Philippine vessels lawfully operating within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone” and “unsafe and unprofessional encounters with naval vessels and aircraft that were exercising freedom of navigation and overflight.”
Another area which received specific mention was the Taiwan Strait, where they again accused Beijing of trying to bring about “unilateral changes to the status quo.”
They urged for dialogue to resolve issues in the Taiwan Strait without “the threat or use of force.”
Both the U.S. and Australia reiterated their commitment to work together “to further strengthen economic, trade, and people-to-people ties with Taiwan.”
China’s human rights record was also criticised, with particular reference to rights violations and abuses in Xinjiang and the erosion of religious, cultural, educational, and linguistic rights and freedoms in Tibet.
The principals expressed “continued grave concern” over what they called “the systematic erosion of Hong Kong’s autonomy, fundamental freedoms, and democratic institutions, including the introduction of Article 23 legislation and issuance of arrest warrants for democracy advocates in third countries.”
Article 23 is a tough new law passed by the Hong Kong legislature which covers treason, sedition and state secrets, and allows for trials to be held behind closed doors
They expressed their disappointment that China rejected all the recommendations made by Australia and the United States during the January 2024 Universal Periodic Review of China’s human rights record.
Despite tensions, they emphasised the importance of cooperation with China on global issues such as climate change, food security, and debt sustainability.
They emphasised the importance of maintaining open channels of communication “to avoid miscommunication or miscalculation that could lead to unintended escalation or conflict.”
