Australian Defense Minister Marles (left) and US Defense Secretary Austin (right) held talks at the Pentagon on the 5th.

(European News Agency)

U.S., Australia to boost bilateral defense cooperation over China's destabilizing military activities

[Compiled Chen Chengliang/Comprehensive Report] Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles (Richard Marles) held talks with US Defense Secretary Austin in Washington on the 5th. After the meeting, he issued a statement vowing to resist China's "destabilizing military activities". To this end, the two countries will continue to deepen defense cooperation, including technology.

Please read on...

Australia, Britain and the United States defense ministers talk today focusing on the export of nuclear submarine technology to Australia

The meeting between the two sides is part of the US-Australia Annual Ministerial Consultation Meeting (AUSMIN), and on the 6th is a meeting between the foreign heads of the two countries.

In addition, on the 7th, the first ministerial meeting of the "Australia, Britain and the United States Trilateral Security Partnership" (AUKUS) will be held in Washington DC. British Secretary of Defense Wallace (Ben Wallace) will join in and discuss the provision of nuclear-powered submarine technology to Australia and other countries. Negotiate related matters.

AUKUS was formed to assist Australia in building nuclear-powered submarines. The three countries will decide in March next year whether the submarines will be British or American, and they will plan a blueprint for the Australian fleet.

The Australian side has stated that Australia needs long-range nuclear-powered submarines with stealth capabilities.

The U.S. Department of Defense released the "China Military Power Report" on November 29, pointing out that the Beijing authorities are using diplomatic means to criticize and undermine AUKUS, and Chinese officials "wrongly set the tone of AUKUS as an act of nuclear proliferation."

The Australian government has said the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to which Australia is a party, does not ban nuclear propulsion.

During the talks on the 5th, the defense ministers of the United States and Australia exchanged views on issues such as building a free and open Indo-Pacific region, Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and China's threat.

The two sides agreed that the current world situation is the most complicated and unstable moment since the end of World War II. The United States and Australia will strengthen bilateral defense cooperation, including combat operations, military deployment and defense technology cooperation, to counter China's destabilizing military activities, and to continue Work with regional partners to support the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Australia's expanded defense budget will exceed 2% of GDP in 2026

The Australian government has pledged to increase defense spending and strengthen diplomatic ties with neighboring countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific in response to China's growing economic and strategic influence.

The first budget of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's centre-left Labor government will boost defense funding by 8 per cent for the financial year ending June 2023, reaching domestic levels by mid-2026. Gross production (GDP) of more than two percent.

On the other hand, German Foreign Minister Berberke visited India for the first time from the 5th to 6th, and met with his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to discuss issues such as the war in Ukraine, China's expansion, and climate change.

She emphasized that Germany does not regard India as a substitute country for China, but as a partner with similar ideas, and the two sides will deepen and expand their relationship.

The Indian side also welcomes Germany's increased engagement with the Indo-Pacific region.