Japan and Australia sign new security agreement underlining Chinese th

Perth: In the face of deteriorating regional security, given the increasing Chinese aggression, a new special security agreement was signed between Japan and Australia. Under this new agreement, the militaries of both countries will increase joint exercises and exchange sensitive, confidential information. Chinese President Xi Jinping is entering his third term. Analysts claim that Xi Jinping will increase tensions with other countries during this period by intensifying hegemonic activities to overcome domestic discontent. Keeping this threat in mind, Japan and Australia seem to have entered into this special security agreement.

Fifteen years ago, in 2007, Japan and Australia established defence cooperation. Japanese defence policy was defensive at that time. Therefore, the media from Japan and Australia claim that the Chinese threat did not have much importance in the defence cooperation with Australia. But former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made aggressive changes in his country’s defence policy. Since then, Japan has increased its defence spending taking cognisance of the threat to its security from China and North Korea. Also, Japan has taken special initiatives for defence cooperation with other countries.

In January, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discussed signing a new security agreement with the then Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. This included joint military exercises between the two countries. China criticised the discussion held between the Prime Ministers of Japan and Australia. But after the change of government in Australia, the agreement took a back seat. Prime Minister Kishida, who arrived in Perth to sign a new security agreement with Australia on Saturday, met the new Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese.

The new agreement will see Japanese military train in Australia and conduct joint exercises. Earlier, Japan had signed such an agreement with the United States. At the same time, this agreement will also make it possible to exchange sensitive information about the threat to the interests of Japan and Australia. Prime Minister Albanese claimed that this would take military cooperation between Japan and Australia to new heights and send a strong message to the region. Prime Minister Kishida said that the agreement would give a direction to the security and defence policies of both countries for the next ten years.

Meanwhile, this is the second meeting between the Prime Ministers of Japan and Australia in the last few months. Japan has vehemently opposed Chinese military activities in the East and South China Seas. Meanwhile, Australia lashed out at China’s agreements in the island countries in the Southern Hemisphere.