The EPS reiterated calls from Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles for Asian-Pacific countries to up their defense ante. He issued these bold statements during a recently successful global security conference held in Singapore. Marles was direct in addressing the threats posed by China’s increasing military ambitions. He continued, stating Australia should not rely solely on the United States to address these challenges. The remarks are made against the backdrop of rising tensions in the region, including over Taiwan, which China views as a breakaway province.
While in conference, Marles had the chance to engage in person with the likes of Pete Hegseth, the United States Secretary of Defense under President Donald Trump. Hegseth reemphasized the Trump administration’s determination to defend allies from military and economic pressure being put upon them by China. He underscored that the U.S. will always be by the side of its partners across the Indo-Pacific. This highlights the need for us all to keep a deep bench of support.
Marles revealed a troubling reality regarding China’s military strategy. He warned of what he termed “the largest conventional military build-up since World War II,” emphasizing that China poses a credible threat to regional stability. According to Marles, “The reality is that there is no effective balance of power in this region absent the United States.” For the moment, he emphasized, “we can’t leave this to the US.”
The Growing Threat from China
Those conversations at the conference were representative of a new-found consensus among global leaders on the need to respond to China’s military malignance. Hegseth pointed out that Beijing is actively preparing to use military force to shift the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, stating, “We are not going to sugar-coat it — the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent.”
Marles underscored that Australia will dramatically increase its own defense spending. Over the next decade, to 2033-34 it will climb to high of 2.33 percent of GDP. His message was not only for Australia, but all allied nations, to raise their defense budgets and military readiness. He cautioned that allies needed to invest collectively. This public-private collaboration is essential to respond to growing threats from nations like China.
“China envies what we have together, and it sees what we can collectively bring to bear on defense,” Hegseth said, adding it is crucial for countries to invest in their military capabilities to live up to their potential.
Arms Control and Strategic Partnerships
Marles went further, to implicate the global security dynamics at play. He rightly called for a new global approach on strategic arms control. He elaborated that technologies of the future such as cyber warfare and weaponization of space are evolving to a point of quickly outpacing traditional arms control structures. “New technologies mean traditional arms control frameworks are being surpassed without any established method of control to supplement them,” he stated.
Marles called on Russia to cease its provocations in Eastern Europe. He emphasized that recent threats by the country to use nuclear weapons show a deep irresponsibility, especially for a permanent member of the UN Security Council. His point was that these developments have profound implications for global security and that we need an ally coordinated response.
“Arms control must be seen as a necessary but not sufficient feature of a broader strategic order that we must build anew,” Marles commented. He argues that this emerging new order be governed by rules and established norms, not just the balance of power.
The Role of Allies and Future Preparations
As we’ve written, tensions are rising in the Asia-Pacific region. Both Marles and Hegseth emphasize the paramount importance of preserving and strengthening strategic partnerships among allies. Hegseth declared, “Ultimately a strong, resolute and capable network of allies and partners is our key strategic advantage.” This is not an ungrounded hope as countries seek to balance against China’s increasing assertiveness.
That urgency for the need to be prepared was certainly felt during discussions at the conference. Both leaders emphasized the need for urgent action to protect democratic interests in the Indo-Pacific. Marles remarked on the need for collective action: “It has to be clear to all that Beijing is credibly preparing to potentially use military force.”
