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| November 16, 2011: U.S. President Barack Obama and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard meet in her office at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia. |
Fox News
November 16, 2011
CANBERRA, Australia – President Obama insisted Wednesday that the United States does not fear China, even as U.S. officials acknowledged that a rising China is part of the reason for a new U.S.-Australia security pact created in response to Beijing's growing aggressiveness.
The plan is to have a Marine, air and ground task force using Australian facilities to act as a "force multiplier" in the region. No new U.S. bases will be built. Marines will rotate into and out of the region, building up slowly from 250. After the buildup is complete, they will total some 2,500.
The number and frequency of U.S. aircraft using Australian air bases will increase and more bases will be in use. However, no numbers were given regarding air power, there is no ships element in this agreement.
Obama called the deployment "significant," and said it would build capacity and cooperation between the U.S. and Australia.
"It also allows us to meet the demands of a lot of partners in the region that want to feel that they're getting the training, they're getting the exercises, and that we have the presence that's necessary to maintain the security architecture in the region," Obama said.
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