Australia is the most important military training base for the United States and its allies. In addition to being military allies with countries like the US, Australia engages in joint military exercises with Pacific countries. Recently, they have implemented a comprehensive strategy to counter China, including measures such as the Australian Defence College announcing the discontinuation of research projects with Chinese universities and the establishment of a new Digital Cable Center in Australia.
Experts analyze that the Australian government’s stance towards the Chinese Communist Party is a comprehensive containment approach. The basic framework for military containment has already taken shape.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security in Australia conducted a three-year investigation into national security risks in higher education. Recently, UNSW Canberra informed its staff that it “will no longer support collaborative research projects involving academic institutions affiliated with Chinese universities”. The academic department of the university was also informed that it will no longer lead projects involving Chinese universities, except those approved by the government.
UNSW Canberra is one of the higher education institutions for the Australian Defence Force, located within the Australian Defence Force Academy. Since the 1980s, the university has been training officers and non-commissioned officers for the Australian Defence Force and offers several postgraduate courses related to the Australian Defence Force.
According to ABC News, UNSW Canberra stated in a release that “UNSW’s university-level collaborations with countries or institutions deemed high risk will undergo comprehensive risk management by various government agencies.”
Taiwan’s Director of the Institute of Defense Strategies and Resources at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, Su Ziyun, indicated that Australia’s move is to further prevent Chinese penetration in the South Pacific island nations.
In a significant development, Australia announced the establishment of a new “Cable Link and Resilience Center” to assist Pacific island governments in managing submarine cables, strengthening efforts to prevent Chinese infiltration through networks and electronic devices in the Pacific island nations.
Michael McCaul, a Republican lawmaker in the US, stated in Sydney in August that under the AUKUS agreement, the US and UK will assist Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines and jointly develop other advanced defense technologies, including underwater drones and quantum technology.
James Paterson, Australia’s Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, welcomed UNSW Canberra’s decision and urged them to remove all scholars associated with the Chinese government. Kevin Andrews, former Australian Defence Minister, wrote in the English edition of The Epoch Times in June, highlighting the rampant espionage activities of the Chinese Communist Party in Australia.
Australia’s role in the Indo-Pacific region is crucial in the event of any major military conflict. As part of its participation in AUKUS, Australia has intensified joint military exercises with the United States and other countries.
A yearly maritime joint military exercise, Malabar, involving the US, Japan, India, and Australia, took place from August 11 to 22.
Australia and fourteen Southeast Asian countries started a joint military exercise and training known as “Indo-Pacific Endeavour” for a five-month period from August 11.
Exercise Pitch Black, the largest international air combat training exercise in Australia, included participants from 20 countries such as the US, UK, Germany, Canada, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and Brunei.
The efforts behind the submarine cable infrastructure in Australia aim to exclude China from wielding influence in the South Pacific island nations, involving collaboration with democratic countries to establish information security networks and gradually eliminate China’s influence.
In conclusion, Australia’s multifaceted approach, incorporating measures in military defense and digital technology to assist developing countries, underlines its commitment to countering external threats, particularly from China.