US Allies Respond: Japanese, Australian, and South Korean Reactions to China’s Military Modernisation

Abstract: Japan, Australia, and South Korea, the three closest Asia-Pacific allies of the United States, have all reacted differently to the modernisation of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, depending on the immediate security situation that each faces. In Japan, which has been most directly affected by PLA Navy operations and other military capabilities, the response has been the most direct: increased investment in maritime and surveillance capabilities while also enhancing cooperation with the US and other like-minded partners in the region. For Canberra, the Chinese threat is still distant, but even down under, the reach and actions of the PLA are raising concerns, leading to plans for augmentation of military forces and a welcoming of permanently deployed US troops. Finally, in South Korea, the DPRK remains the primary threat, though China's recent unflinching support for Pyongyang has led to discussions about whether or not that decades-old security calculus should be re-evaluated.

Keywords: China, Japan, Australia, Republic of Korea, United States, defence policy, military modernisation, alliance, foreign policy, East China Sea, People's Liberation Army