My Take | Australia sends mixed message with China visit and war drills
While Talisman Sabre with its line-up of Western allies is provocative, Asean nations who drill with the Chinese military are also involved
While Anthony Albanese was busy this week trying to improve relations and promote business for Australia in his state visit to China, his country and the United States were hosting what has been advertised as their biggest military exercise involving 17 other allies and friendly nations.
Talisman Sabre is the biennial exercise dating back to the mid-2000s. This year, it involves almost 40,000 troops and 19 nations. And a not-too-subtle hint: they are united in preparing against an aggressive and expansionist China.
Talk about Canberra sending mixed messages to Beijing!
The press releases put out earlier by the defence departments of Australia and the US were positively breathless.
“Talisman Sabre 2025 is the largest and most sophisticated warfighting exercise ever conducted in Australia,” the Australian version read.
“Over the next three weeks, more than 35,000 military personnel from Australia and partnering nations will deploy across Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, New South Wales and Christmas Island. For the first time, activities will also be conducted outside of Australia in Papua New Guinea.”
Poor New Guinea! But when your two overlords say so, you don’t have much of a choice. Likewise with Fiji and Tonga, two other “allies” called to duty to boost the numbers.