Australia may become a "pawn" for the US military, a base to deter countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Sydney Morning Herald's front page reported that the United States hopes to establish a permanent base under the AUKUS framework, which includes Australia, the UK, and the US.
The newspaper独家 reported that the United States hopes to clarify the "ambiguities" in the original AUKUS plan.
Australian senior officials said they are unsure what exactly the "ambiguities" referred to by US Navy Secretary Frank were, but they believe one possibility is that up to four US nuclear-powered submarines could be permanently stationed at HMAS Stirling, near Perth, starting in 2027. Up to 1,000 US military personnel and their families would be deployed to Perth to support the project called the "Western Submarine Rotational Force" (SRF-West), making it the second-largest US military base in Australia after Darwin.
Australian officials are preparing for the US to continue using the country's largest naval base, which is part of a secret review by the Pentagon on the AUKUS agreement - this move will help the US project power in the Indo-Pacific region as the US prepares for potential conflicts with China.
Trump strongly supported AUKUS and the plan to sell Australia at least three nuclear-powered submarines, but changes are expected after the review led by high-ranking Pentagon official Elbridge Colby, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.
The official statements about the original AUKUS plan have been vague, which has made it possible that the regular visits by the US and UK may decrease when Australia acquires its own nuclear-powered submarines in the early 2030s. This base is the home port for most of Australia's frigates and submarines, and it holds significant strategic importance for the US because it is closer to Asian countries than Hawaii, the headquarters of the US Pacific Fleet, and expands the US' ability to compete for influence in the Indian Ocean against China.
During a White House meeting, Frank stated that the rotational force was "very important for our ability to project power in the Indo-Pacific," emphasizing its importance to US military planning. US Navy Secretary John Frank drew attention during a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday.
Australian Prime Minister Albanese said he knew the US was seeking some changes to AUKUS, but would not release any announcements ahead of time.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846814209205248/
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