Australia must beef up its military capability in the country s north to be ready to respond to unpredictable threats from countries such as China, a leading security expert has said.
Australia Strategic Policy Institute s Dr John Coyne claimed the army s presence in the north had reduced in recent years, adding a decision by the US to build its own infrastructure at Darwin was a vote of no confidence in Australia .
China has a defence budget six times higher than Australia and boasts 42 times more soldiers, 55 times more tanks, 13 times more submarines and 16 times more fighter jets.
Across land, air and sea, China has Australia covered with 3.3 million troops in service compared to Australia s relatively feeble 80,000.
Australia told to prepare for Chinese bombing raids on air bases after Beijing threatens long-range missile strikes
Felix Allen
10 May 2021, 13:49
AUSTRALIAN military bases could be hit by long-range Chinese missiles in revenge for supporting Taiwan, Beijing propaganda warns.
It comes as experts say Australia s vast north is mostly undefended and urgent reinforcements are needed amid warnings a full-scale war with China could be only a decade away.
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Australia s forces are dwarfed by China s People s Liberation ArmyCredit: AFP
Tensions between Beijing and Canberra have been heightened in recent months by a trade war and a blame game over the coronavirus pandemic.
HEADLINES & GLOBAL NEWS
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(Photo : Jason Reed - Pool/Getty Images)
In the future, Australia will have a military crisis with the possible invasion of Taiwan by Chinese forces. This scenario is likely as Canberra feels a war with increased aggression by the People s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
Australia will have a military crisis should Taiwan be attacked
Last year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison declared that he would allocate $270 billion spanning ten years to prepare for a poorer, more hazardous planet, cited SBS News.
Canberra is worried that the nation down under is threaten by a Chinese attack that begins with conquering Taipeh, reported News Au.