Australia Announces Increase in Defense Spending to Address "Most Dangerous Situation"

According to a report by Reference News Network on April 18, Reuters reported on April 15 that Australia announced on the 15th that it will increase the proportion of defense spending to GDP from the current approximately 2% to 3% by 2033, in response to the most "complex and threatening" situation since World War II.

The report stated that the Australian government indicated that this increase in defense spending will be achieved through an additional AUD 14 billion (approximately USD 10 billion) over the next four years and an additional AUD 53 billion over the next ten years. In addition, the Australian government had previously committed to increasing spending by AUD 50 billion over the next ten years, meaning that Australia will cumulatively add AUD 117 billion in defense spending over the next decade.

Against the backdrop of escalating global geopolitical tensions, Australia has been seeking to enhance its defense capabilities. The Trump administration in the United States had previously called on Canberra to raise the proportion of defense spending to GDP to 3.5%.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles is expected to deliver a speech in Canberra on the 16th to announce the latest strategy. He will state: "Australia is facing the most complex and threatening strategic environment since the end of World War II, and the international norms that once limited the use of force and military coercion are continuously being eroded. As a result, we are witnessing the largest increase in defense spending during peacetime in our country's history."

The Australian government stated that this funding will be used to "enhance the deterrence capability of the Australian Defense Force and its ability to respond to current and emerging threats, while also focusing on long-term investments to build a military with greater self-defense capabilities." (Translated by Xu Yanhong)