Australia, UK and USA are militarising the Indo-Pacific

December 6, 2023

China and several Asian countries maintain that under international law, foreign militaries are not able to conduct military and intelligence-gathering activities, such as reconnaissance flights, in their exclusive economic zones (EEZ). Yet the USA and Australia insist that under UNCLOS their navies and air forces have that freedom in any economic zone without needing to notify the host country.

But new deals negotiated by Washington with Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau means the USA can stop navies and air forces from other countries entering their EEZs.

Australia needs to decide whether its EEZ is not to be entered by foreign militaries without first notifying it. China recently acceded to Australia having its own sphere of interest in the Pacific Islands which it does not seek to challenge.

Yet Australia wants to challenge Chinas sphere of influence in the East and South China Seas. It cant have it both ways insist on China not militarising Australias spheres of influence yet insist it has the right to do so in Chinas sphere.

For more on this topic, P&I recommends:

https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3243795/how-western-allies-subvert-international-law-and-norms-contain-china