Australia making defence investments on the expected frontline of a China conflict
www.abc.net.au
Experts say these agreements are clear signs of how important an ally the Philippines is becoming in the Indo-Pacific region amid jitters of US security guarantees.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/49054892

Australia’s defence spending this year is set to include infrastructure projects at five military bases in the Philippines.

The bases are all located on the island of Luzon, in proximity to the contested South China Sea and self-governing Taiwan — two major flashpoints in regional relations.

The investments come as Australia and the South-East Asian nation are expected to sign a new pact to increase collaboration between their defence forces.

Experts say these agreements are clears signs of how important an ally the Philippines is becoming in the Indo-Pacific region.

Euan Graham, a senior analyst on defence strategy and national security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said both nations were aiming to strengthen regional deterrence at a time when China was pursuing increasingly aggressive activities in the South China Sea and US foreign policy in the region was shifting.

He said Australia had become Manila’s “closest security relationship” after the United States and the political window for cooperation was “wide open” under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

[…]

The Luzon projects are part of Australia’s broader efforts to bolster the security architecture of the region.

In October, Canberra signed a mutual defence treaty with Papua New Guinea and a Treaty on Common Security with Indonesia in November, which sees both countries consider a joint military response if either comes under attack.

This year Australia is training its sights further north to the Philippines — a country that saw major battles during World War II and is expected to be a frontline in a future regional war.

“Australia is doing more to maintain its presence forward and although it may strike people as odd that Australia defines its forward defensive line as far up as the South China Sea … that’s where the majority of trade and supply lines will run through,” Dr Graham said.

[…]

[Rear Admiral Rommel Jude Ong, a retired vice commander of the Philippines Navy] said his country needs to diversify its allies “given the trajectory of the current US strategy right now”.

“I think the future is not in a purely US-Philippine alliance, but a more diverse relationship with other partner countries like Japan and Australia, which I think we need to support each other,” he said.

[…]