Recently, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister of Australia Richard Marles made his first visit to the US since taking office. During the visit, he repeatedly advocated the joint US-Australia efforts to "contain China," and proposed the Australian and US forces would achieve "interchangeability" to render rapid and seamlessjoint operation.
In this regard, military observer Du Wenlong believed that if the Australian troops could realize "interchangeability" of rapid and seamless operation with its US counterparts, this means that the Australian military is about to be deprived of its independent operation capability step by step, and reduced to be a US vassal. The US-Australia "military integration" involves various aspects such as interconnectivity and interoperability, indicating the Australian military is to completely turn to the US military and depend on the US operations command system, including the strike system and logistic support system. This also means that the Australian military is likely to be incapable of dependent operation or action without the US military in the future.
According to foreign media reports, Marles and the US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have reached a strategic document in "closed-door talks", in which China was mentioned six times, saying that China has brought major challenges to both the US and Australia. Since the second half of 2017, Australia has repeatedly sent ships and aircraft for provocative reconnaissance close to China; and this year, a group of former Australian defense and security leaders has repeatedly made false statementsover Taiwan, reducing the relationship between the two countries and the two militaries to hit rock bottom.
Du Wenlong pointed out that Australia has always been a US vassal in terms of military cooperation. Australia has joined the anti-China campaign in a highprofile, in an attempt to further develop US-Australia relations and enhance its global influence by taking more radical actions against China. It is conceivable that to win US support, Australia is sure to take further actions in promoting anti-China propaganda and instigating anti-Chinese sentiment, as shown by obvious steps taken on issues such as patrols in the South China Sea, military cooperation with the US and Japan.
As analyzed by Du, Australia’s new government may have gone even farther in terms of military relations with China compared with its predecessor, and relevant trends are worthy of vigilance. Australia may move even closer to China's perimeter in terms of military deployment as a way to please the US. Frontier deployment, deterrent deployment, and actual combat deployment may be the next moves to be taken by the Australian side around China.
By ganging up allies, Australia has successfully boarded the "chariot" of the US. Unfortunately, this move will not bring security to Australia; instead, it is to put Australia in a more dangerous situation.
