Australia asks China to explain the “extraordinary” military accumulation

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles called on China to explain the reason for the need for “such an extraordinary military accumulation.”

He said that Beijing needs to provide more transparency and reassurance because it is the “basic issue” of the region.

Meanwhile, Filipino Defense Minister Gilberto Tudoro Junior has described China as “completely irresponsible and reckless” in its actions in the South China Sea.

The ministers have seen the correspondents separately on the sidelines of the Asian Defense Summit held in Singapore.

China has not yet responded to Marles or Tudoro.

The Shangri-La dialogue organized by the Daban International Research Institute for Strategic Studies was traditionally established by the United States and China, which was competing for power in the region.

This year China sent a minimum delegation and delivered its speech. In the absence of a strong Chinese presence, the dialogue dominated criticism and questions from Beijing, which the United States and its allies raised.

On Sunday morning, Marles stressed that “what we saw from China is the biggest increase in military ability and accumulation in the traditional sense, by any country since the end of World War II.”

He told reporters that not only the size of the military accumulation related to other countries.

“It is the fact that it happens without strategic reassurance. It occurs without a clear strategic intention by China … What we want to see is that strategic transparency and strategic reassurance is provided by China, and an understanding of the reason for the need for such an extraordinary military accumulation.”

He referred to Australia as an example of this transparency, noting that Canberra makes the strategy of the National Defense of Defense and Defense Reviews, and made it “completely clear” that when they build their defenses for Australia and Asia’s security.

“Therefore, there is a complete clarity and strategic guarantee that is provided by Australia for our neighbors, to the region, for the world. This is what we would like to see,” he said.

Answer a question on a A very Chinese military exercise I was located near the waters of Australia and New Zealand in February, and Marles said it was “annoying, and we believe it could have been done better”, in the end, “China was acting according to international law.”

“The guiding light, the basis here, must be compliance with international law. This is what we are talking about, is the rules -based system.”

Marlez was also asked about Higseth’s invitation to India and Pacific partners to increase defense spending as Blueck against the threat of China.

“We are actually taking steps below this path … We understand it, we are at the level of that,” said Marles. US President Donald Trump called on Australia to increase its spending to 3 %, but Kanbara has not yet publicly adhered to this number.

Marles added that part of this spending will come under Aukus, an agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States to build a fleet of nuclear powered submarines.

He said that the projects under the agreement were “on the right track” and it was “very optimistic” about progress, including more US submarine visits to Australia and courses through the Bareth naval base.

In a separate interview with the BBC security correspondent, Frank Gardner, Philippine Defense Minister Thodoro said China was “completely responsible and reckless in allocating most of the South China Sea, if not all,”

The two countries have repeatedly clashed due to competing claims in the South China Sea, and the Philippines complained of aggressive and violent tactics by the Chinese Coast Guard.

He repeated the call to preserve the international system, saying that “the ready -made meals of many defense ministers are that Europe and the United States must continue to lead” in this.

“This was the invitation of the Philippines. This is the invitation of Lithuania, Latvia, the smaller countries that have a way of life that appreciate freedom and human dignity.”

He said: “With a lifestyle, we do not want the deep state to look at our shoulders or afraid of what we say,” referring to China.

On Saturday, US Defense Minister Beit Higseth was Warning against the threat of China “The Washing” towards Taiwan Beijing was accused of becoming the “power of hegemony” in the area.

China attacked Higseth’s power in two separate statements, with the last site published on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.

He said that Higseth “distorted China with definition allegations, and described China as a” threat. “

“There is no country in the world that deserves to be called the power of hegemony, unlike the United States itself, which is also the main factor that undermines peace and stability in the Asia Pacific region.”

Earlier in the defense summit, French President Emmanuel Macron had made the stadium Europe is a new ally of Asia.

China also responded to Macron, who compared the defense of Taiwan to defending Ukraine, and said that the comparison was “unacceptable” because “the issue of Taiwan is the relationship of China in full.”

China claims that Taiwan, a autonomous island, is like its territory and has not eventually ruled out the use of power “reunification” with it.