Well, at least the Prime Minister is thinking about it:
Responding to the expansion of China’s military, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd sparked a storm of controversy on Saturday when he released a report calling for a $72 billion expansion of the military over the next 20 years.
…
The report cited the threats of North Korea and Iran’s nuclear programs, cyber attacks, and piracy, but it points to the rise of China and India as the most imminent concern in the coming years. It also adds that US military dominance is now uncertain and therefore its assistance to Australia is no longer guaranteed.Although Prime Minister Rudd says he is not anticipating a conflict with China, he insists that his nation must be prepared for a worst-case scenario.
…and so are the Japanese:
Meanwhile, The Australian reports that Japan has indicated solidarity about concerns regarding China’s rapidly increasing military might. Speaking in Perth, Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said the communist state’s military expansion policy was an “issue of some concern” to the region.
There’s a lot of opposition to the extra expenditures, so it’s not certain that Australia will actually be able to strengthen its defenses. Too bad China doesn’t seem as concerned about the money it spends.
