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CANBERRA, Australia President Obama and Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia announced plans on Wednesday for the first sustained American military presence in Australia, a relatively small deployment that is still a major symbol of American intentions to use regional alliances to counterbalance a rising China.
With my visit to the region I am making it clear that the United States is stepping up its commitment to the entire Asia-Pacific region, Mr. Obama said at a joint news conference with Ms. Gillard soon after his arrival here in Australias capital.
Mr. Obama said the basing agreement allows us to meet the demands of a lot of partners in the region that want to feel that theyre getting the training, theyre getting the exercises, and that we have the presence thats necessary to maintain the security architecture in the region.
But the second message Im trying to send is that we are here to stay, Mr. Obama said. This is a region of huge strategic importance to us. He added: Even as we make a whole host of important fiscal decisions back home, this is right up there at the top of my priority list. And were going to make sure that we are able to fulfill our leadership role in the Asia Pacific region.
On his two-day visit, the president will fly north across the continent to Darwin, a frontier town and military outpost across the waters from Indonesia that will be the center of operations for the coming deployment. The first 200 to 250 Marines will arrive next year, with forces rotating in and out and eventually building to 2,500-strong, the two leaders said.
The United States will not build new bases on the continent but instead will use Australian facilities. Mr. Obama said Marines will rotate through for joint training and exercises with Australians and the American Air Force will have increased access to airfields in the nations Northern Territory.
Were going to be in a position to more effectively strengthen the security of both of our nations and this region, he said.
Since World War II, the United States has had military bases and much larger forces in Japan and South Korea, in the north Pacific, but the arrangement with Australia will put an American footprint closer to the southern reaches of the South China Sea. The sea, a major commercial route including for American exports has been roiled by Chinas aggressive claims of control.
Like Australia, Chinas neighbors in Southeast Asia have looked to the United States to increase its military presence as a counterweight to Beijing. Mr. Obama has sought to provide that assurance, but the Asia-Pacific allies are well aware of the intense pressure for budget-cutting in Washington, and fear that squeezed military spending and other factors may inhibit Mr. Obamas ability to follow through.
The United States and other Pacific Rim nations are also negotiating for a free-trade bloc that does not include China, the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The tentative trade agreement was a topic over the weekend in Honolulu, where Mr. Obama hosted the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and it will be discussed again later this week when he becomes the first American president to participate in the East Asia Summit, on Indonesias island of Bali.
For China, the weeks developments could suggest both an economic and military encirclement. For the United States and its Pacific Rim allies, they suggest a growing concern over Chinas muscle.
But Mr. Obama said, The notion that we fear China is mistaken. The notion that we are looking to exclude China is mistaken.
The president said China would be welcomed into the tentative Trans-Pacific Partnership nine nations, including the United States, agreed in Honolulu to finalize a framework in 2012 if it is willing to meet the free-trade standards for membership. Such standards would require China to let its currency rise in value, better protect foreign producers intellectual property rights and limit or end subsidies to state-owned companies.
Mr. Obama arrived in Australia for his first visit as president after twice cancelling trips due to domestic demands; he recalled at a state dinner that he had visited twice as a boy, when his mother was working in Indonesia on development programs.
This time, as president, Mr. Obama arrived at Parliament House to a 21-gun salute and, once inside, to the enthusiastic greeting of Australians crowding the galleries of the massive marble entrance hall.
The two countries have long been allies and another purpose of Mr. Obamas visit is to celebrate their alliances 60th anniversary. The United States has no stronger ally, Mr. Obama said.
Australians fought with the United States in every war of the 20th century, and more recently have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan has become increasingly unpopular with most Australians want their troops to come home immediately.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/w...illard-expand-us-australia-military-ties.html
With my visit to the region I am making it clear that the United States is stepping up its commitment to the entire Asia-Pacific region, Mr. Obama said at a joint news conference with Ms. Gillard soon after his arrival here in Australias capital.
Mr. Obama said the basing agreement allows us to meet the demands of a lot of partners in the region that want to feel that theyre getting the training, theyre getting the exercises, and that we have the presence thats necessary to maintain the security architecture in the region.
But the second message Im trying to send is that we are here to stay, Mr. Obama said. This is a region of huge strategic importance to us. He added: Even as we make a whole host of important fiscal decisions back home, this is right up there at the top of my priority list. And were going to make sure that we are able to fulfill our leadership role in the Asia Pacific region.
On his two-day visit, the president will fly north across the continent to Darwin, a frontier town and military outpost across the waters from Indonesia that will be the center of operations for the coming deployment. The first 200 to 250 Marines will arrive next year, with forces rotating in and out and eventually building to 2,500-strong, the two leaders said.
The United States will not build new bases on the continent but instead will use Australian facilities. Mr. Obama said Marines will rotate through for joint training and exercises with Australians and the American Air Force will have increased access to airfields in the nations Northern Territory.
Were going to be in a position to more effectively strengthen the security of both of our nations and this region, he said.
Since World War II, the United States has had military bases and much larger forces in Japan and South Korea, in the north Pacific, but the arrangement with Australia will put an American footprint closer to the southern reaches of the South China Sea. The sea, a major commercial route including for American exports has been roiled by Chinas aggressive claims of control.
Like Australia, Chinas neighbors in Southeast Asia have looked to the United States to increase its military presence as a counterweight to Beijing. Mr. Obama has sought to provide that assurance, but the Asia-Pacific allies are well aware of the intense pressure for budget-cutting in Washington, and fear that squeezed military spending and other factors may inhibit Mr. Obamas ability to follow through.
The United States and other Pacific Rim nations are also negotiating for a free-trade bloc that does not include China, the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The tentative trade agreement was a topic over the weekend in Honolulu, where Mr. Obama hosted the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, and it will be discussed again later this week when he becomes the first American president to participate in the East Asia Summit, on Indonesias island of Bali.
For China, the weeks developments could suggest both an economic and military encirclement. For the United States and its Pacific Rim allies, they suggest a growing concern over Chinas muscle.
But Mr. Obama said, The notion that we fear China is mistaken. The notion that we are looking to exclude China is mistaken.
The president said China would be welcomed into the tentative Trans-Pacific Partnership nine nations, including the United States, agreed in Honolulu to finalize a framework in 2012 if it is willing to meet the free-trade standards for membership. Such standards would require China to let its currency rise in value, better protect foreign producers intellectual property rights and limit or end subsidies to state-owned companies.
Mr. Obama arrived in Australia for his first visit as president after twice cancelling trips due to domestic demands; he recalled at a state dinner that he had visited twice as a boy, when his mother was working in Indonesia on development programs.
This time, as president, Mr. Obama arrived at Parliament House to a 21-gun salute and, once inside, to the enthusiastic greeting of Australians crowding the galleries of the massive marble entrance hall.
The two countries have long been allies and another purpose of Mr. Obamas visit is to celebrate their alliances 60th anniversary. The United States has no stronger ally, Mr. Obama said.
Australians fought with the United States in every war of the 20th century, and more recently have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The war in Afghanistan has become increasingly unpopular with most Australians want their troops to come home immediately.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/17/w...illard-expand-us-australia-military-ties.html
