Australia and Japan Sign A New Security Agreement to Counterbalance Communist China

Foreign media reported that Australian Prime Minister (PM) Albanese and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida signed a new bilateral security agreement on October 22. As a result, the two sides will cooperate more in the military, intelligence, and cyber security, as well as space, law enforcement, logistics, and telecommunications protection, to counter the deteriorating security prospects caused by the CCP’s increasingly tough stance. In addition, this agreement will significantly enhance the level of defense cooperation between the two countries and allow them to discuss potential security threats.

It is reported that this is the primary outcome reached after the leaders of the two countries met in Perth, a city on the west coast of Australia. At the summit, Prime Minister Kishida expressed Australia’s importance to Japan’s security. Furthermore, Australian Prime Minister Albanese commented that the relationship between Australia and Japan is one step closer to the ANZUS Treaty. The ANZUS Treaty is a security treaty between the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, which provides mutual defense obligations.

Japan is the first country other than the United States to sign a similar agreement. Japan announced on the same day that under the agreement, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces would conduct training in northern Australia for the first time and participate in exercises held by Australian troops.