Canberra: “In the coming times, the US influence in the Indo-Pacific sector could wane. In such a scenario, it will not be possible even for the United States to defend its allies. If this threat is to be averted, Japan and Australia have to assist the United States, by increasing their military investment and deployment in the Indo-pacific sector. Otherwise, the Chinese missiles will target the US allies in the region,” Australian study group ‘United States Studies Centre’ issued a stark warning.
Ashley Townshend, the chief analyst at ‘United States Studies Centre’, made some forthright observations in the 104 pages report, published by the Australian study group. He included the US policy, expenditure and the stance of the US allies in the Indo-Pacific region. Balance in the Indo-Pacific region has disrupted. The sector was under a major US influence for many decades. Townshend expressed a concern that the declining US influence and the rising Chinese influence is the cause of the imbalance created in the region.
The Australian analyst claimed the US military strength in the region, is not comparable to the Chinese. In the last few years, China has made significant progress in the military power and technology-related sectors. Townshend pointed out that the prolonged war during this period in the Gulf and the reduction in the cooperation among the allies in the region became factors for the increasing Chinese influence.
By the time the United States could shift its focus to the Indo-Pacific region, China hurriedly completed the development of the ballistic missiles. All the US allies fall within the range of these Chinese ballistic missiles. The United States and its allies will have to develop capabilities to neutralise these Chinese ballistic missiles. Townshend warned that if Japan, Australia and Taiwan do not increase their military strength and deployment in the concerned region, in time, the Chinese missiles will target them.
The Australian analyst also predicted that China will use its military might to establish its right over the Senkaku Islands as well as the South China Sea claimed by Japan and Taiwan. Therefore, Townshend appealed through his report that Australia, Japan and Taiwan have to increase the deployment in the Indo-Pacific region, to supplement the US policies regarding the Indo-Pacific region.
The Australian analysts, even in the past, have warned that the Chinese movements are a threat to Australian security. Further, the Australian analysts had claimed that the Chinese aggression in Vanuatu and the South China Sea are a warning to Australia, along with the Southeast Asian countries. Following that, Australia initiated rapid steps to formulate a military policy with the United States.
Reacted to this, China said that Australia is threatening its trade cooperation with China by increasing military cooperation with the United States.
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