By Deutsche Welle
Nov 17, 2024, 2:58 PM EST
The Australian Minister of Defence, Richard Marles received US Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japanese Minister Gen Nakatani in Darwin on Sunday (17/11/2024).for a trilateral meeting, the first they have held in Australia, and committed to expanding their security cooperation by establishing trilateral consultations and holding three-way amphibious military exercises.
“Recognizing the critical role that our trilateral partnership plays for regional stability (…) we announce the establishment of ‘Trilateral Defense Consultations’ in support of the alignment of our objectives,” Marles said. “We continue to increase our cooperation in intelligence and surveillance in the Indo-Pacific region as a priority”he noted, while Nakatani highlighted the importance of the advisory body. “We want,” he said, “for the defense cooperation of Japan, the US and Australia to be updated under a practical framework.”
Under the new agreement, Japan’s Rapid Movement Amphibious Brigade – an elite maritime unit – will be sent to Darwin to work and train alongside Australian and American forces. “It is a very important statement for the region and the world about the commitment of our three countries to work together,” Marles commented. Your country announced a month ago a purchase of missiles from the United States worth more than 4 billion dollars.
Austin, for his part, indicated that the alliance will increase “surveillance and reconnaissance activities” between the three countries, which “will advance our goals for a safe and peaceful Asia Pacific region.” The Pentagon chief said he was proud of the work done by his department to “strengthen alliances” in the region and work with “countries that share the vision of a free and open Asia Pacific.”
China maintains territorial and maritime disputes with several Southeast Asian countriessuch as the dispute over the South China Sea. “We reiterate our firm opposition to any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion,” emphasizes a joint statement. Marles also alluded to India, which is part of the so-called Quad with the United States, Japan and Australia, ensuring that the four of us “work more together than ever”, after last September they announced that for the first time they will carry out joint exercises with their coast guard corps.
Canberra has reached out to its ally the United States to counter China’s power. In addition to developing its naval fleet, Australia plans to have nuclear-powered stealth submarines, in a tripartite agreement with the United States and the United Kingdom called AUKUS. The election of Donald Trump in the United States has cast doubt on the future of the agreement, but Australian officials said they are “very confident” that the pact will remain.
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