The United States and its allies have warned China that they will jointly defend themselves after discovering a Chinese spy ship off the coast of Australia during a massive military exercise (Talisman Saber 2023) between United States, Australia, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Japan.
The exercise is a true demonstration of strength as tensions in the Pacific are increasing day by day, especially around the Solomon Islands, 1.000 miles northeast of Australia.
Times reporters saw different F-35B Americans fly low over the training area of Shoalwater Bay in Queensland north and launch missiles at a hilly target, thus simulating the scenario of having to liberate an occupied island from a hostile nation.
Japanese forces also joined in operations to retake the island” occupied by the “invaders. The United States also launched the dreaded Himar missiles widely used in Ukraine against the fixed and moving positions of the Russian army.
Tension grows between the sides as the Solomon Islands entered into a security pact with China in 2022 with plans to improve the skills of its 1.500 police officers in cybersecurity and community policing. The Solomon Islands recently denied fears in Australia and others that the police deal with Beijing is “a threat to peace in the Pacific region”. The Solomon Islands has a population of 700.000, in an archipelago that occupies a strategic position in the Pacific Islands and was instrumental in the US move west of the Pacific to liberate the Philippines in World War II. Tensions over Taiwan have raised concerns in Washington and Canberra about China's naval ambitions in the region. Undersea cables and sea lanes also pass through the islands, essential for Australian communications and exports to North Asia.
In retaliation, China sent dozens of warplanes over the airspace of the island of Taiwan on Saturday.
The Chinese army's interest in the exercises was revealed by the sighting of a spy ship (Dongdiao 795), off the east coast of Australia. According to military intelligence websites, the ship's main tasks are to monitor and analyze electronic signals and track missile trajectories. The vessel was spotted late last week by an Australian Air Force surveillance plane. The Australian military later said it would implement electronic countermeasures to prevent the Chinese ship from obtaining sensitive information about the Talisman Saber exercises.
More than 30.000 servicemen from Australia, the United States and other European nations will take part in the exercises over the next two weeks. US Secretary of State, Antony blinken and the secretary of defense Lloyd Austin, will travel to Australia later this week to undertake high-level talks, while the French president Macron will visit the South Pacific.
The US Navy commissioned a new warship in Sydney on Saturday. A large airbase is being built in northern Australia to accommodate six US B52 heavy bombers from Australia.
US bombers could be tasked with striking China's nuclear missile bases and its early warning radars in the event of hostilities between China and the United States.
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