CANBERRA, Australia (AP) \u2014 Australia\u2019s defense minister on Wednesday played down the significance of a major upgrade of B-52 facilities planned for northern Australia that has raised China\u2019s ire, saying the nuclear-capable U.S. bombers have been visiting since the 1980s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China this week condemned U.S. plans to deploy up to six of the long-range bombers at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal in the Northern Territory, arguing the move undermined regional peace and stability. China also warned of a potential arms race in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked if the upgrade could prove too provocative, Defense Minister Richard Marles told reporters, \u201cI think everyone needs to take a deep breath here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The multibillion-dollar U.S. investment is part of the Enhanced Air Cooperation Program, which has built on a range of air exercises and training activities between the two countries since early 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re talking about is a U.S. investment in the infrastructure at Tindal, which will help make that infrastructure more capable for Australia as well,\u201d Marles said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn terms of U.S. bombers, they\u2019ve been coming to Australia since the 1980s. They\u2019ve been training in Australia since 2005. All of this is part of an initiative which was established in 2017,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Australia would be a \u201csignificant beneficiary\u201d of the Tindal upgrade, Marles said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some Australian critics argue the B-52s\u2019 increased presence in northern Australia, made possible by the new facilities, would make the country a bigger target in a war between the United States and China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst in defense strategy and capability at the Australian Security Policy Institute think tank, said China and other observers were \u201chyping\u201d and \u201cover-egging\u201d the significance of what was proposed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is not significant in terms of the hardware side of things. It is significant in terms of the strategic importance of the fact that we are now able to more easily support the U.S. in its operations in the region,\u201d Davis said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The U.S. Air Force would be able to operate B-52s for longer and with more ease from Tindal with an expanded parking apron, hangars and fuel storage tanks, Davis said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt also means that in a crisis, Australia is then one of the few locations that the B-52s can more easily operate from to support U.S operational requirements,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tindal, like the U.S. Pacific military bases in Guam, is within range of Chinese long-range missiles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the greater distance the missiles would have to fly make Tindal an easier target to defend, Davis said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking during a visit to Thailand, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said governments led by both of Australia\u2019s major parties \u201chave worked to increase coordination and interoperability with the United States and with others.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said that contributes to \u201cthe strategic equilibrium\u201d in the Asia-Pacific region, and the basing of B-52s \u201cis consistent with the approach Australia has taken over a number of years to increase our capacity to operate with the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said Australia welcomes increased U.S. involvement in the region under the Biden administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wong said she hoped that deteriorating relations between Australia and China would improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve put the view publicly that we think it\u2019s in both countries\u2019 interest for the relationship to be stabilized,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Associated Press video journalist Tassanee Vejpongsa in Bangkok contributed to this report.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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