#UPDATE Australian PM Morrison says the country will acquire long-range US Tomahawk missiles, as it strengthens military defences in the face of a rising China.
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 16, 2021
"We will be enhancing our long-range strike capability including Tomahawk cruise missiles..." pic.twitter.com/Rp6Uyq9R98
Australia’s defence minister has warned that a war with China cannot be ruled out after Canberra announced a deal to buy nuclear-powered submarines in an alliance with the UK and US *****zooRo9X6gd
— The Times (@thetimes) September 17, 2021
澳大利亞國防部長彼得·達頓駁斥了中國對美英澳三國核潛艇合作的批評，稱中國官方媒體的言論“不成熟”。達頓還表示，美英澳新三方安全倡議“AUKUS”安排下，可能會有更多的美國軍隊駐紮在澳大利亞。
達頓在華盛頓接受澳大利亞媒體采訪時批評了中國在印度洋—太平洋地區的一係列行動，特別是在維持基於規則的國際秩序方麵。
澳大利亞太空新聞在星期五播出的專訪中，達頓表示：“我認為，我們從一些代表中國共產黨的發言人和媒體上看到的那些宣傳，坦率地說，為我們的立場提供了例證。我認為他們的言論適得其反，不成熟，坦率地說，令人難堪。”
《環球時報》攻擊澳大利亞是美國的“走狗”，稱澳大利亞如果因為有了核潛艇和攻擊型導彈而“針對中國實施更加囂張的挑釁，甚至在軍事上犯賤，中國一定會毫不客氣地對它進行懲罰”。
達頓在回答天空新聞記者的提問時說，澳大利亞是否會與中國開戰，“這是中國的問題”。
“正如我們看到的，中國對澳大利亞、對英國、對這一地區夥伴的行動是一直在進行的，中國的確使用了網絡手段和網上技術發動襲擊。我們公開指出了中國的這些行為，這些行為已經形成了產業規模。我們在我們民主進程中看到了來自中國的幹預，世界其他地區也有此類證據，我們麵臨的許多威脅因素，雖然遠遠沒有達到開戰的程度，但都在所謂的灰色地帶，這包括對民主製度的幹預，他們在我們地區試圖施加影響力的行動達到了前所未有的高度。”
達頓還說，澳大利亞願意看到更多的美國海軍陸戰隊在澳大利亞城市達爾文進行為期10年的輪換。
“我確實希望確保我們能夠通過輪換增加部隊人數。” 達頓說：“空中能力將得到加強，我們的海上能力將得到加強，（整體）軍力也將得到加強。”
（美國之音中文網）
"The Alliance remains an anchor of stability, and the principals reaffirmed the #IndoPacific is the focus of the Alliance. This year as we celebrate our Alliance’s 70th annv. we proudly reflect on the legacy of peace and prosperity to which our partnership has contributed."
— US Embassy Canberra (@USAembassyinOZ) September 17, 2021
"The Secretaries and Ministers expressed grave concerns about the PRC’s campaign of repression against #Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in #Xinjiang."
— US Embassy Canberra (@USAembassyinOZ) September 17, 2021
"AUKUS will build on the longstanding bilateral ties among our three countries, including through deeper integration of defense and security-related science, tech, industrial bases, and supply chains, as well as deeper cooperation on a range of defense and security capabilities."
— US Embassy Canberra (@USAembassyinOZ) September 17, 2021
SYDNEY - Australia on Friday shrugged off Chinese anger over its decision to acquire US nuclear-powered submarines and vowed to defend the rule of law in airspace and waters where Beijing has staked multiple hotly contested claims. #BangkokPost #World *****CFHg7ZLbTT
— Bangkok Post (@BangkokPostNews) September 17, 2021
"China doesn’t have the leverage of fear, of being angry, because it’s angry all the time."
— Thomas PHILIPPON (@ThomasPHI2) September 16, 2021
That's an interesting game-theory idea.
Why Australia Bet the House on Lasting American Power in Asia *****ZWVlUjvFxP
