As Xi Jinping edges out his rivals in the Chinese Communist Party, shakes up his leadership team and begins an unprecedented third term as China’s leader, Beijing’s military modernization continues apace. In a span of two decades, China has transformed itself from a relatively minor player on the world stage into a formidable geopolitical force that is willing and able to pursue its interests aggressively. Xi’s objective, as stated in numerous documents and communiques, is none other than to turn the People’s Liberation Army, or PLA, into a world-class military by 2049.
China’s neighbors and competitors, however, aren’t sitting still as the PLA builds up the world’s largest arsenal of ballistic missiles and fields a growing armada of cruisers, ships and fighter aircraft. Japan and Australia, two countries that have their own grievances with Beijing, are also strengthening their own militaries, increasing their defense budgets and teaming up to create a balancing coalition against China.
Last week, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed an agreement that will broaden the strategic relationship between Tokyo and Canberra on everything from defense and energy to the economy and the climate. This was the fourth time Kishida and Albanese have met since the latter took office in May, and the latest cooperation accord comes less than a year after Japan and Australia agreed to a lengthy “reciprocal access agreement” that set the foundation for regular military exchanges on one another’s territory. While nobody is predicting the formation of a defense alliance between the two Pacific powers, it’s safe to say that the Japanese and Australian governments are sufficiently concerned about China’s enhanced wealth, influence and hard power that both are willing to combine forces to manage it. The old mantra, “There’s strength in numbers,” very much applies.
