Promoting Military Integration with Australia, the U.S. Military's Response to China's "New Insurance Policy" Faces Australian Doubts

[Global Times Comprehensive Report] According to a report by The Wall Street Journal on the 7th, the United States plans to deploy four submarines to the Royal Australian Navy's Stirling Base in the coming years, aiming to promote military integration with Australia to deter China. This deployment plan, referred to by U.S. media as the "new insurance policy for the U.S. Navy in response to conflict with China," is part of the AUKUS agreement between the U.S., the U.K., and Australia. However, not only does the deployment plan at Stirling Base face challenges, but the AUKUS agreement is also encountering increasing scrutiny.

Reports indicate that the Australian government is investing approximately $5.6 billion in Stirling Base for the construction of training centers, barracks for military personnel, submarine dock renovations, radioactive waste treatment facilities, and power supply facilities. The Australian government has also allocated $8.4 billion for the construction of related maintenance and manufacturing facilities nearby. According to previous reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, starting in 2027, four U.S. Virginia-class nuclear submarines and one U.K. Astute-class nuclear submarine will be stationed on a rotational basis at Stirling Base. U.S. media believe that given Stirling Base's proximity to the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, the deployment will provide a crucial advantage for U.S. forces in the event of a conflict with China. The report also quoted a U.S. submarine task force commander as saying, "When you are in some kind of conflict, you definitely want damaged vessels to return to combat as quickly as possible. Therefore, having such a geographical location to supplement the support capabilities of Guam and Pearl Harbor will allow the U.S. Navy to return to combat faster."

However, this deployment plan faces numerous challenges. For Australia, which has never operated nuclear-powered submarines independently, the ability to activate dry docks when needed is a significant issue. The Wall Street Journal also mentioned that the funding required for the construction of supporting facilities at the base is enormous. Some local residents are concerned about radioactive waste issues, and the presence of U.S. submarines may make the area a potential military target. The report also quoted former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's criticism, stating, "Establishing a U.S. submarine base at Stirling while we do not have submarines ourselves... I don't think this is in our interest. I believe in Australia's sovereignty, and I think the AUKUS agreement is a huge sacrifice of Australian sovereignty."

According to the AUKUS plan, the U.S. will begin selling three Virginia-class nuclear submarines to Australia starting in 2032. However, a recent report from the Congressional Research Service indicates that considering Australia's refusal to commit to supporting the U.S. in a potential Taiwan Strait conflict with China, the U.S. is contemplating not selling nuclear submarines to Australia in order to retain control over them. The report points out that selling nuclear submarines to Australia could render these submarines unusable in "U.S.-China conflicts or crises," while submarines commanded by the U.S. and deployed from Australian bases could be immediately operational.

David Shoebridge, the Australian Greens' spokesperson on defense and foreign affairs, stated that the U.S. "division of labor" scheme reveals the "illusion" that the AUKUS agreement is concerned with Australian defense. He criticized that the AUKUS agreement is dangerously transferring Australian sovereignty to U.S. interests at the cost of billions in public funds. "Trump pressured and humiliated allies with an 'America First' approach, yet was still willing to advance AUKUS, which shows how unfair this agreement is. If Trump wants to push it forward, we should resist it." (Bai Xiao)