The US and Australia yesterday launched a massive joint biennial military exercise, with Japan taking part for the first time as tensions with China over territorial rows loom over the drills.
The two-week “Talisman Sabre” exercise in the Northern Territory and state of Queensland involves 30,000 personnel from the US and Australia practicing operations at sea, in the air and on land.
About 40 personnel from Japan’s army — the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force — are to join the US contingent, while more than 500 troops from New Zealand are also involved in the exercise, which concludes on July 21.
“It is a very, very important alliance,” Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Friday in Sydney on board the USS Blue Ridge, which is taking part in the exercise, referring to Australia-US ties.
“It’s a very important relationship and right now we are facing quite significant challenges in many parts of the world, but particularly in the Middle East,” he said.
The war games, being held for the sixth time, come as China flexes its strategic and economic muscle in the region.
Beijing has been building artificial islands and facilities in disputed waters in the South China Sea, parts of which are also claimed in whole or in part by Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei. China also has a separate territorial dispute with Japan over the Tokyo-controlled Diaoyutai Islands (釣魚台), which Japan calls the Senkaku Islands, in the East China Sea.
“There’s subtle message going out that at every level — from hardware to technical and strategic expertise and cooperation — the main American allies and America are working very closely together largely to account for China,” University of Sydney China specialist John Lee told reporters.
“It’s definitely linked to the notion that China is becoming more assertive and that it seems to be putting money into military capabilities to back up its assertiveness in the South China Sea in particular,” he added.
Beijing rejected US criticism of its reclamation works in the South China Sea during the annual Shangri-La Dialogue meeting in May, saying it was just exercising its sovereignty.
While Beijing would not be pleased with Japan’s involvement in the drills, it would also not be surprised, experts said.
Australia has stepped up its relationship with Japan in recent years, and in July last year Abbott described Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as “a very, very close friend” during a state visit to Canberra.
The Australian government is also considering buying Soryu-class submarines from Japan, which Lee said would be fully integrated with US weapons systems.
“It’s a continuation of a deepening security relationship between Australia and Japan,” Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior defense capability analyst Andrew Davies told reporters of Japan’s inclusion in the exercise.
“It’s been a work in progress for at least a decade now and it’s gathering pace, and Australia and Japan are looking for opportunities to do things together in the military space,” he said.
At the same time, the US’ regional strategic relationships were evolving even before China’s recent actions, with a shift away from bilateral pacts toward multilateral alliances, Davies said.
The US’ other allies — such as Singapore, Malaysia, India, Vietnam and the Philippines — would be supportive of the exercise, as well as Australia and Japan’s activities in the region, Lee added.
“All the other countries are desperately hoping that America and capable allies can actually work together to counter China,” he said.
Japan’s involvement has in part also been driven by domestic politics, Deakin University Asian security specialist Craig Snyder said, as Abe’s right-wing government tries to increase Tokyo’s participation in regional security.
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